Danny and Grace
by montez
Summary: The bond between a parent and child is like no other. It's a bond that will make a man move thousands of miles to keep it, or make him give up the will to live if it's lost.
1. Chapter 1

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 1  
Disclaimer:Still aren't mine, but a girl can dream.

_A/N: This is my second attempt at a Hawaii 5-0 story, but my first multi-fic 5-0 story. The imagery came to me first and begged me to write a story around it. As I mentioned before I'm really new to the series, haven't even seen all the episodes yet, but have youtube as much as I could and am totally hooked. Of course I love Steve, but Danny is quickly growing on me and if anyone has read any of my other works of fanfiction, you know I only hurt the ones I love. So that being said expect a heavy, heavy dose of Danny damage. This story came to me quickly and I'm still working on it, I hope to post every few days. I want to stay a few chapters ahead in my writing vs. posting so I don't feel rushed and do this story the justice of my vision. So with that being said, I will go hide behind a heavy piece of furniture because I know i'll be in trouble by the end of this chapter. Regardless, I hope you give this story a chance. I would say enjoy, but I was in tears as I wrote it so that might not be the right word.-Montez_

His feet stumbled, his body cried out for him to stop, to rest, but he couldn't. He'd lost track of how long he'd been walking, or stumbling along the mudded trail that his partner would no doubt argue was a road. 'this isn't a road, it's dirt on a cliff' Danny remembered yelling at his partner during one of their hair-raising car chases, but Steve always managed to keep the car on whatever surface they were flying across.

Danny absently chuckled at the thought, his psychotic partner could keep a vehicle on any road, at any speed, but he was unable to do it at the posted speed limit on a paved surface. Yet as he stumbled along he had to admit when he rounded that curve and found a little black compact taking up his lane, he really didn't have time to react, to see exactly where he was on the road, nor did he realize the drop that was on the right hand side as he jerked the wheel to avoid a head on. Looking back now, a head-on may have been the better choice, because the only good thing about the accident is that the drop off wasn't a straight drop into the Pacific Ocean, like it had been on part of the journey.

However, when car finally came to a complete stop, he was several yards down an embankment with no hope of anyone seeing them from the roadway. When he'd come too, his mind was muddled, his body ached. The airbags had saved him from being crushed against the steering wheel, but it hadn't saved his head from meeting the driver's door window and with every step he took he could feel the pressure pounding. He was sure, regardless of the airbags he had some cracked, if not broken ribs. His hip hurt, his recently healed knee was screaming again. If he thought about it, he couldn't think of a single part of his body that didn't hurt at the moment, but adrenaline was a wonderful thing, it dulled most of the physical pain. No the pain that was tearing at his heart, at his soul was for the passenger that had been in the car with him.

The day had started out so different, so much had been planed. It was suppose to be filled with adventure. Well with as much adventure as a New Jersey transplant could handle in what he referred to as 'a pineapple-infested hell-hole' that he'd dubbed Hawaii. Yes to nearly everyone else it was a breathtaking paradise, but to a Jersey boy, born and bred, it was the last place on earth he would have ever chosen to live. The only reason he had ever considered living here was for his pride and joy, for the only person in his life that he knew, without a doubt, still loved him, his daughter Grace.

The divorce had been bad enough, but when Rachel had petitioned the courts to be allowed to take Grace to Hawaii to live with her new husband, Danny Williams' world fell apart. His daughter was his world and his ex was taking her to the other side of the world. So Danny did the only thing he could think of, he sold most of his stuff, which wasn't much since the divorce, put in for a transfer to HPD, said goodbye to everything and everyone he ever knew and he followed his broken family, just so he could see his baby girl twice a week and every other weekend.

This weekend was his weekend with his 'monkey'. Grace had begged him for a drive along the coast. As much as Danny detested Hawaii, his little girl had fallen in love with it, the sun, the beaches and since his daughter had met his partner Steve McGarrett and heard him talk about all the overlooks and places along the coast where you could see water forever, Grace had begged her 'Danno' to take her. So that was where their day should have led them, but now, now Danny Williams would give anything to have never left his apartment this morning, for this to have not been his weekend with his daughter that he lived for. Because if this day had turned out different he wouldn't be stumbling down an unmarked dirt road through the dark-green canopy covered forest with his little girl clutched to his chest, her little body unmoving.

505050505050505050

"How much further?" Grace asked, just he hint of a whine in her eight-year old voice.

"Not too much Monkey, hey this was your idea, remember." Danny glanced up at his daughter strapped in the back seat of his silver Camaro.

"But Steve said it wouldn't take long to get there." She replied as she watched the green scenery pass by the window. Danny remembered Steve telling Grace about a look-out about thirty miles outside the city. The road ran along the coast, but part of the road did trail through some of the tropical rainforest that covered parts of the island. To listen to his partner talk it wasn't that far of a drive, but once Danny got directions he realized it was further than he thought, but his daughter really didn't understand the distance needed to get there, hence the subtle whining.

"Honey, what Steve considers not long and what you consider not long are two different things. I promise it shouldn't be much further, then we can set up our picnic and see how far we can really see, okay Kiddo?" Danny would do anything for his daughter, even drive an hour along this windy road to reach the exact spot Steve had convinced his little girl she just needed to see. "So why don't you tell me…OH GES…"

"DADDY!"

Forever that terrified word would echo in Danny Williams ears, never did he want to hear that terrified tone come from his little girl again. The Camaro came around a sharp curve only to nearly collide head-on with a small black compact. Danny recalled seeing the terrified, confused face of the driver before he jerked his own vehicle to the right. The wheels left the road almost instantly as the front end dropped down the embankment, the bouncing was unreal, he could hear metal crunching, glass shattering, his terrified daughter screaming. They seemed to drop forever before the front fender clipped a larger tree and knocked the car sideways, which caused it to flip at least once as it continued to slide. Airbags deployed and Danny's world went dark, the last thing he heard was the screams of his little girl.

"Ugh…" He moaned as he came to, his head pounding as he tried to take a deep breath. A sharp pain telling him maybe that wasn't a good idea. The airbag was somewhat deflated by now, a stick poking in the window having deflated the safety device. The car was upright, but he could vaguely remember it rolling. Blinking slowly he could see the shattered contents strung throughout the demolished vehicle; the few CD's he kept on the sun visor scattered over bits of windshield, the car mates that were usually on the floor under his feet were across the seat now, a few coffee cups he hadn't gotten out of the car, but what caught his eye, what made his heart clinch was the pink backpack that lay in the front floor board.

It was then his mind immediately cleared, his injures forgotten as he looked up into the shattered rearview mirror and saw the still, limp form a his daughter listing in her seatbelt. "GRACE!" He quickly turned as much as he could, his own seatbelt holding him in place, his shaking hands started to fumble with the release as he tried to face his little girl, "GRACE!…Oh God…Baby answer me…God, please…" He finally struggle with the release, it giving way as he haphazardly made his way between the seats.

For just a moment he hesitated, he was afraid of what he would find if he touched her tiny body. Danny's world was shattering in front of him, "Oh baby…no…please…" He reached forward, ignoring the blood on his hands, any pains his own body might be trying to make him aware of. His hand brushed her down-turned face, it was still warm, he took that as a good thing. Slowly his fingers connected with her neck, he held his breath as pressed gently against it, his own breathing stopped as he felt for the one thing that would tell him whether his own life would be over. For a second everything stopped, for a second everything ended, but he felt it, the faintest movement beneath his fingertips, he dared not move until he felt it again.

Letting out a small breath he whispered, "Thank God… Grace, baby can you hear me?…wake up for me sweety." Danny had taken his daughter's face in his hands, lifting it ever so gently. The sight of the pale face in his hands was nearly his undoing. In contrast to the destruction around her Grace's angelic face was unmarred, there was no indications by looking into her lax face that she was anything other than sleeping. But as he ran his hand through her hair, just over her left ear, his hands came into contact with a warm stickiness that made his stomach flip, pulling his fingers away from her brown ponytail; the tips of his fingers were coated in red.

"Grace, please wake-up…please…" Danny pleaded as he ran his thumb over her small cheek. He could feel his own tears falling, but didn't care. His world was imploding and he couldn't do anything to stop it, his whole reason for living was unresponsive in front of him and his heart was shattering. "It'll be okay, baby…Danno'll get you out of this…I promise baby, just please…please wake-up for me."

An untold number of minutes passed as Danny watched for any movement, but other than the seemingly steady movement of his daughter's chest, there was nothing. Looking around Danny tried to figure out how he was going to get them help, through the broken back windshield he could barely make out where the road was, to far up for him to climb and there was no way he was leaving his little girl in the car to try for it. "Okay Williams think…" He ran on hand through his hair, wincing when it came in contact with the gash he had on his own head. Without taking his hand off his daughter Danny started patting down his pockets with the other, maybe, just maybe his cell phone had survived the crash.

Finding it, he looked around as he pulled it out, realization dawning that there was very little chance of service, but he had to try, it would be at least a day before anyone realized they were missing and he didn't know if Grace had that long, he didn't want to think about it. "No, we'll get out of this…" Glancing at his daughter he spoke, "I'll get us out of this Monkey, God help me if it's the last thing I do I'll get you out of this."

Finally he freed the palm-size object, the screen was broke, but it looked like it was still on, the smiling face of his little girl looked back at him from the screen. Tears were filling his eyes at the contrast of the small picture to the scene playing out before him. "Please…" He whispered as he brought the object closer to his face, his vision slightly blurry, he squinted and saw two tiny bars in the top corner. "Thank you" he mumbled as he pushed number two and prayed it would connect.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 2  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Just taking a minute to thank everyone for the overwhelming positive response to my first chapter. The reviews and alerts have been wonderful, you guys are so great!_  
_Well on to chapter 2._

Steve McGarrett had just walked back into his house from his workout. He'd allowed himself the luxury of sleeping in, instead of his normal five a.m. wakeup call, he'd stayed in bed until six. That may not have been much to some, but it was a big deal in Steve's world. He liked mornings, he liked watching the sunrise over the ocean, but the last week had been rough and he was grateful to have the weekend. He knew Kono and Chin were heading out for some surfing and since it was Danny's weekend with Grace, he'd mentioned that he was taking his daughter to the lookout Steve had told the little girl about. As for his own plans, Steve really didn't know what he was going to do, but he'd started his morning late, his run on the beach, followed by a swim came later than normal.

Running a towel over his head as he entered the back of the house Steve was debating whether to work on his father's old car out in the garage or head up into the mountains for a hike. However, all that changed as he crossed into the kitchen, his phone coming to life on the counter. Grabbing a juice from the fridge, he twisted the cap, taking a drink as he reached for device. Smiling slightly at his partners name flashing he hit accept, bringing the phone to his ear, "Don't tell you got lost, the directions were…"

Steve's voice was cut off by the broken sound of his partners, "She won't wake up." Danny all but cried into the phone.

McGarrett's breath caught in his throat at the devastated sound of his friend's voice. "Danny? What…where?"

"She won't wake up…I…" Danny started again, his mind not working in trying to relay how bad he needed help.

"Who won't wake up? Danny, where are you? " Steve had started moving toward his room, something was terribly wrong with his partner and he needed to figure out where he was and get to him.

"Grace…" Danny whispered.

Steve literally stopped, his heart clenching in his chest, _'no this isn't happening' _was the only thing the dark-haired man could think as the name finally registered, "Grace?…Danny where are you? What happened?"

"Car on our side of the road…I didn't have anywhere to go…crashed…now…God my baby won't wake up." Danny's words broke, it was killing Steve to listen to this, his best friend's world was shattering and he couldn't help him.

"Danny, listen to me…did you…" God how could he be asking this, this wasn't suppose to be happening. Danny lived for these weekends with his daughter and now. "Danny did you check her? Does she…" He couldn't believe he was getting ready to ask this, but he had to. "Danny does Grace have a pulse?"

The few seconds it took his friend to answer were some of the longest in Steve's life, he could hear the faint sobs coming from his friend and it tore his heart out. "Yeah…she's breathing, but she won't wake up…there's blood…the side of her head, that's all I can see." Danny's voice was becoming a little stronger as Steve let out his own held breath.

"Okay, good man…Do you remember where you are? Were you going to that lookout?" Steve had managed to dress with one hand on the phone, grabbing the rest of his stuff he rushed out to his truck. He knew he could be at most forty-five minutes away, depending on how far his friend had gotten before the accident.

Danny took a deep-breath; Steve could hear it hitch slightly, "Danny are you hurt?" McGarrett knew that Danny was so focused on his daughter that even if he was injured, he might not be aware to what extent.

"We were close…maybe ten minutes from it…I don't remember…" Steve could hear the confusion in his partner's voice, but he needed him to stay focused.

"Danny are you hurt?" Steve tried again to gauge by the tone of Danny's voice, but couldn't because he knew the man was overwhelmed with worry for his daughter.

"Don't know…head maybe…Steve I can't get her to wake up, why won't she wake up for me?" Danny's pleading was almost Steve's undoing as he floored it, heading toward the road he'd directed his friend to.

"She's breathing, that's what's important… just sit tight man, I'm on my way." Steve listened for a moment, hearing shuffling from the other end. A muffled curse with more frantic movement had him yelling into the phone. "DANNY!"

"God, got to get her out…" Steve heard panic this time, then a sharp cough echoed.

"DANNY! WHAT'S GOING ON?" The next word he heard through the phone froze his soul.

"FIRE!" Danny yelled as Steve heard the phone drop, he could hear Danny coughing and more movement, "Come on baby, Danno's got to get you out…" Steve heard the muffled voice of his friend, then a loud grunt and more coughing.

Steve listened, sound of movement seemed to fade, the coughing grew distant, "DANNY!…DANNY ANSWER ME!" another minute passed without a sound, then the distant sound of an explosion echoed from the phone before the line disconnected, "DANNY!"

McGarrett stared at the device on his dash. _'This wasn't happening' _was all his mind could yell as he saw the 'call disconnected' flashing on his phone. Running his hand through his short hair, he pushed a button, then dialed 911. "911 operator, what's your emergency?"

"This is Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett, Five-O; I need police, fire and rescue to Kahala Drive somewhere near the thirty-five mile marker. There's been a car accident involving one of my team, I've lost contact with him, there's a possible car fire, I don't know…I don't know if he got out, just send everything you can, I'm on my way to the scene now, ETA twenty minutes." Steve looked at the clock on the dash, twenty minutes; he was twenty damn minutes away. There wasn't a damn thing he could do but try to get there as soon as possible, but what would he find? He knew his friend was hurt, he knew Grace was hurt, but the last things he heard coming from the phone connection, he knew the sound of an explosion, he'd heard his friend desperately trying to get his daughter out of the car. But what would he find when he got there? Would he find his partner and his daughter being treated by emergency services or would he find something far more horrific.

"Emergency services have been dispatched to the site, possible ETA, ten minutes, advising responders accident scene involves member of law enforcement and that your arrival is imminent." the unnaturally calm voice responded, "Will have first responders contact you upon arrival."

"Good." Was all he could say as he reached up and disconnected, he knew help was making their way up toward the scene, but that didn't help the dread in his stomach, he didn't know if Danny got out of the car or not. And if he did how much more were they injured from the explosion? Shaking his head slightly, Steve realized he couldn't think like that. Danny was tough, he would do anything to keep his little girl safe, if anyone could have gotten out of the car he knew Danny could. So until he knew different he had to believe both Danny and Grace were alive, injured but alive.

Taking a deep-breath Steve reached up and hit number three on his phone, it taking a few rings before the call was answered, "Don't tell me we got called in on a case man, Kono and I just reached the beach." Chin's cheerful voice sounded all too loud coming from the phone after what Steve had just had to listen to.

"There's been an accident Chin…" Taking another deep-breath he continued, knowing the other two members of his team would respond as he had, and start making their way to the site. "It's Danny and Grace…Chin…its bad."


	3. Chapter 3

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 3  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Thanks again so much for all the wonderful reviews, I am hoping to try and respond to them soon, but know I really, really appreciate them! You guys are awesome.-Montez_

For the second time in as many minutes, Danny Williams came to with a muffled groan. He tried to shake his head to clear it and realized fast that wasn't a good idea as his vision narrowed, pain exploding behind his eyes. He tried to push himself up to his knees, but where his right hand came in contact with the moistened earth of the forest floor, his left brushed against the warmth of another person. Blinking several times to try and clear his vision he took in the sight of his daughter lying just slightly in front of him. "Grace!" He cried out, crawling closer. Again shaking hands reached for her small form, memories of the accident poured into Danny's foggy mind as he collected his little girl's small body into his arms, "God, Grace…Danno's got ya, its okay baby…"

Pulling her into his arms, he laid his hand on her tiny chest, the thump of her heart was felt against his palm, a shaky breath moved his hand ever so slightly. Sitting there he buried his head in her hair, now containing some of the moss and twigs that littered the ground. Looking behind him as a loud 'pop' was heard, he saw the burning remnants that use to be his car. It all came back now, the accident, his Monkey not waking up, then the smoke… the smoke filled the car so fast as he fumbled with his daughter's seat belt. Grabbing her form, holding her tight to his chest as he desperately scrambled out the shattered back window.

He'd stumbled when he hit the uneven ground, then with the unsteadiness caused by what was sure to be a concussion he fell. He felt himself fall, his daughter slipping from his arms as he rolled, he could just make out Grace, sliding, then his world had gone black again.

But now, now he was several feet from the burning wreckage and even further from the main road. He didn't know how well traveled the road was, they'd only passed a few cars on their trek, but he knew he needed to do something to help his daughter. He vaguely remembered calling Steve, he knew his friend would have understood what was happening and he hoped the SEAL was on his way. God this was one of the times he prayed for Steve to swoop in and save the day.

Looking around Danny spied a dirt road just a few feet from where he and Grace had ended up. "Maybe it's an access road…" He mumbled to himself, looking down at his little girl, her angelic face now marred by dirt and a couple scraps, no doubt for the tumble as they escaped the inferno the car had become. Holding his daughter close, Danny attempted to stand; a stumbled step put him against a tree. Taking a minute, he closed his eyes and willed the dizziness to stop; he looked down and focused on the still form he held close to his body. It was his job to protect her, it was his job to get her the help she needed, he would not let anything happen to his little girl, he couldn't.

"Danno's gonna get you out of here baby, just hang on for me…please…" Danny sobbed into her hair, kissing the top of her head as he shifted her slightly, his grip tightening. "God, please…Grace you hang on for me baby…I won't give up so don't you…" Taking a deep-breath, or as deep as his hurting body would allow, Danny Williams raised his head and slowly started to make his way toward the dirt road. Once reaching the edge he noticed to his right it seemed to head slightly up hill, back toward the road. Wordlessly he again kissed his daughter's head, sent a slightly prayer that God would give him the strength to get his daughter to safely adding to that deal that as long as God allowed his beautiful daughter to make it through this, that he didn't care what happened to him, as long as Grace lived.

5050505050505050

Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett never felt more useless as he did at this moment, no wait, there was on other time in his life that trumped this and eerily enough it had been another phone call that had set off those events as well. But unlike before where he was thousands of miles away, now he was less than twenty, but the total sense of helplessness that filled his soul was nearly the same. Someone he cared about was hurting, possibly dying, if not dead already on the other end of that call.

Shaking his head he shouted inside the confines of his truck, "NO! This isn't…they got out…Danny and Grace are hurt, but they got out…I just need…" Steve's thought was cut off by the ringing of his phone, HPD flashed on the screen. "McGarrett!"

The voice on the other end was far too calm for how Steve was feeling at the moment. "Commander, this is Officer Pono, we've just arrived on the scene sir."

"Have you found them yet? Detective Danny Williams and his daughter Grace, they were in the car, how bad is it?" Steve asked, he needed to have an idea of what he would be facing.

"Sir, the vehicle is several yards down an embankment and is fully engulfed in flames. Fire and Rescue are working on getting water to the fire, but the slope is so steep they have to work from the road until they can get it under control." The younger sounding man responded.

"What about Williams, can you see them anywhere?" Steve held his breath, knowing in his gut he would not like what the officer said.

"Sir, we can't get anyone down there yet, but from here we don't see anyone around the vehicle." The man's voice sound somewhat defeated and that didn't set well with Steve.

"Damn it, someone needs to get down there, they are hurt, they need help now!" Steve yelled into the phone.

"Sir, I'm sorry but the fire chief isn't letting anyone down until the fire is out." Apprehension sounded in the officer's tone. The younger man knew of the closeness of the Five-O unit. Stories of the protectiveness the four team members showed toward one another was almost legendary, especially for a unit that had only be around about a year. And everyone in the HPD knew of the temperament of the Commander of that force if he believed one of his people were in trouble.

Steve ran a hand through his disheveled hair, frustration growing. He was five minutes away when he passed another accident scene. A small black compact rested on its side against a tree, no doubt having come off the hill too fast for the curve. He only gave it a passing glance as he headed further up the incline. "I'll be there in five minutes; I want to talk with the Chief when I get there!" Steve replied as he disconnected the call. He needed to focus, he knew he couldn't lose his temper now, but there was no way in hell he was going to allow his injured friend and his daughter, lay at he bottom of the embankment and do nothing, when he got there he was going to make his way down to the car, whether the fire chief liked it or not.

Coming around another curve, Steve could see the start of emergency personal on the road, flashing lights of a police cruiser told of a blocked road, he slowed and was waved through; it was nearly another mile to the scene. Slowly working through vehicles, Steve pulled his truck up behind the fire trucks, off to his right he could see the ribbons of smoke floating up from the drop-off below, his chest tightened as he tried again to push unpleasant thoughts from his mind. He had one goal and one goal only, to get down to his best friend and his little girl and bring them both home.

Steve exited his vehicle, running toward the center of the activity, "Where's the Chief?" He asked the first fireman he came to, who pointed him toward an older man who was shouting orders at the men with hoses. Quickly making his way toward the man Steve stepped in front of him, "Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett Five-O, have you gotten anyone down there yet?" Steve matched the man step for step; he wasn't going to be pushed aside.

"Keep it on the front, we need it completely out!" The Chief shouted toward his men as he finally turned to acknowledge McGarrett, "Commander, I know it's one of your men down there, but I can't send anyone down just yet, we need the area secured first and since I can't get hoses down there, we have to make sure the fire is completely out from here."

"That's my partner and his daughter down there…" Steve started but was cut off.

"I'm sorry Commander; it's just not safe yet." The chief wasn't budging; he was not sending his men down until he felt it was safe.

Steve knew arguing wasn't getting Danny and Grace the help they needed, running his hand over his face, he looked around and found the truck he was searching for, ignoring the chief Steve took off. The Search and Rescue truck was a few yard from the fire truck, crossing that distance in a few seconds, Steve pulled one of the side doors open and found exactly what he was looking for, climbing gear. Quickly he pulled out the harness and rope, making his way back toward the edge of the road. "Just what do you think you're doing?" He heard the fire chief's voice yelling from behind him.

"That's my partner, my friend down there, if you won't send anyone then I'm going, I can't stand here and do nothing." Steve started to get the harness strapped on, then made his way to the rear of one of the police vehicles that sat behind the fire truck. Ignoring the other man Steve tied off one end of the rope to the frame of the car, then made his way back toward the edge of the road just as he heard a familiar voice shouting his name.

"STEVE!" Chin and Kono came running toward him weaving though the emergency vehicles that covered the road.

Coming to a stop next to their boss the cousins got their first look at Danny's burned out Camaro, "Oh God." Kono whispered as she looked back at her teammates, fear and worry in her face.

"Have they found them yet?" Chin asked as he noted Steve getting ready to head down the embankment.

"They won't even send anyone down, so I'm going." Steve didn't have time for anything else, too much time had passed since he'd last heard Danny's voice, he needed to get down to the vehicle. Nodding, Chin watched as Steve started to back his way toward the crash site, fire hoses still raining water on the smoldering heap of metal that was once Danny Williams' car.


	4. Chapter 4

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 4  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: I was considering posting a second chapter today and thought 'why not?' You guys have been so awesome and supportive of a newbie like me in the Hawaii 5-0 universe and I wanted to thank you all for that, hence the bonus chapter. That being said I'll issue my tissue warning now, plus after this chapter I just might have to go into hiding. I probably won't be able to post chapter five until Wednesday, I have training for work the next two days, thus it will cut into my writing and reviewing time. But fear not, I am a few chapters ahead in my writing, so the process isn't stalled for long. Again thank you to everyone who has reviewed and alert my story, you guys are truly amazing!-Montez_

Danny thought he heard sirens in the distance, but he wasn't sure. His hearing was muffled, the only thing he could hear clearly was his own ragged breathing and the rushing of blood as it pulsed in his pounding head. He didn't know how far he'd gotten, once he started walking he was afraid if he stopped or turned to see how far from his car he'd gone that he'd fall down, and he couldn't do that. His vision had tunneled to only encompass the road ahead. It was lined with dense foliage on either side, but the dirt road itself continued to make a slow arch upward, so he stayed focused on the space ahead of him, pushing forward, through the pain trying to make itself known, begging him to stop and give in to defeat.

"Don't you worry Monkey…Danno's gonna get you out of here…when you're all better we can go anywhere you want, no question's asked…you just hang on for me baby…okay…Danno loves you…you remember that, no matter what…Danno loves you." Danny mumbled as he moved forward, he prayed that if he kept talking to Grace she would respond, he needed to hear her say 'I love you Danno'.

_His mind went back a few short years at the first time he'd heard his daughter say 'Danno'. He and Rachel had done like any parent and talked to their baby constantly. From day one Danny had been trying to get Grace to say 'Daddy'. Rachel telling him it would be months before the small baby would say anything that resembled words, but that didn't stop him. He'd fell in love with the brown-eyed, brown-haired angel the moment the doctor had placed her in his arms in the delivery room. He'd loved Rachel and was thrilled when she'd become pregnant, but the moment those dark eyes met his blue ones he was hopelessly lost, he'd never felt a love so strong, it literally took his breath._

_Every moment Danny was with his daughter in the months that followed, he talked to her, played with her, tried to get her to say 'daddy'. Grace quickly became a 'daddy's girl', so much so Rachel would sometimes have trouble soothing the crying baby, but as soon as she was handed to Danny, Grace's cries would quiet, she would turn her little head and nuzzle into her father's chest. As months passed and his little girl grew, she started making all the cooing sounds normal for a baby, she'd mimic her father's mouth movements when he talked to her, but only the baby coos would come out. Slowly what sounded like words started to be heard. _

_Then one day he'd walked into the nursery, noticing Grace had pulled herself up and was standing in her crib. "Look at my big girl, all ready to breakout of your cage, just like a little monkey." He smiled as he approached her._

_A big grin spread across her face at the sight of her daddy, she raised her arms as he approached, but he stopped in his tracks when a brand new word escaped his daughter's babbling, "Danno…" _

_He just looked at her a second, "What'd you say Monkey?" His eye's watered as he held his breath, waiting to see if he'd really heard what he thought he'd heard._

_Grace smiled and started bouncing, "Danno…Danno…"_

_Danny wasn't ashamed to say he cried that day as he scooped up has baby girl and rushed out of the room, yelling for Rachel, so she could hear their baby girl calling for her 'Danno'._

A soft moan caused Danny to stumble slightly as he took his eye's off the road ahead and looked down at the precious bundle in his arms, "Danno…" the nearly breathless sound brought a new round of tears to his eyes.

Leaning down Danny kissed the top of his daughter's head, "Oh God, Grace…baby can you hear me?" He actually stopped in the middle of the road, waiting to see if his daughter's brown eyes would open.

He watched as she squinted some, her tiny body barely moving as she raised her head slightly, "Danno…it hurts…" She sobbed out as he felt a tremor go through Grace's body.

"Sh… baby I know…Danno's trying to get to some help…" He mumbled again, holding her close, his face buried on top of her head. "Just a little further Monkey, just hang on for Danno okay?"

"'K…sleepy…" Grace whispered against her father's chest, her hand clutching to the front of his shirt, before going lax again.

"Grace?" Danny felt the moment his daughter lost consciousness again, "Come on Monkey, you have to stay awake, please baby…" He cried out into her hair, the faint breath blowing against his neck the only thing telling him his daughter was still breathing.

Tears were streaming down Danny's face as he looked up through blurry eye's and focused again on the road ahead, his numb body barely obeying his command to start moving again. He'd only taken a couple steps before he thought he heard another voice in the distance causing him to stop and turn.

505050505050

Steve reached the wreckage, the chief had stopped the hoses as McGarrett made his way down the slope, but he could see the firefighter's ready if a hotspot flared from the vehicle. "Danny! Grace!" Steve called out as he made his way closer to the smoldering car.

"Steve, do you see them?" Chin's voice carried down to him.

McGarrett didn't answer as he got closer, he prayed he wouldn't find any bodies inside the burnt out shell. He took some hope that he didn't 'smell' what he'd feared he might find. Careful to not touch the still hot metal, Steve looked inside what was left of the Camaro. Dropping his head as he let out the breath he was holding as he called back up the hill, "No bodies in the car!"

Several yard above, Kono and Chin released the breath they'd held since getting the call of the accident. McGarrett's voice drew their attention back to him, "I'm gonna disconnect to get around the car, see if they're on the other side!" he yelled, releasing the rope from the harness, using the trees to work his way down and around the car. "Danny! Grace!" he called again.

The SEAL reached the far side of the vehicle only to find an empty forest floor, however near the back of the car he could make out a deep indentation in the moss-covered ground. Knelling down to touch the spot, his eye's looked further down and saw where it looked as if someone had slipped and fell. Making his way several feet further down from the car he found a spot of smashed foliage, his trained eye noting two different size areas. Looking up Steve noticed a dirt service road that cut through the forest.

Turning toward where Chin and Kono waited with the rest of the emergency personal he shouted, "They're not here, but there's a road…maybe he started walking. Chin see where this goes, fresh tracks seem to be going south!" Steve shouted as he took off at a jog, knowing Kono and Chin would figure out if this road could be accessed from the main road above. Steve didn't believe his friend could have gotten too far, noting the unsteady foot prints in the dirt. glancing at his watch, he realized it had been nearly an hour since the desperate call, he knew Danny was hurt, but he also knew he would do whatever he needed to get Grace some help. So Steve continued to follow the trail and knew between him and the rest of his team, one of them was going to find Danny, he just prayed it wasn't too late.

Steve had only been on the road about ten minutes when the walkie-talkie he'd grabbed along with the climbing gear came to life. "Steve, you copy?" Chin's broken voice called through the static.

Still moving McGarrett pulled the device from his pocket, "Go ahead Chin."

"Dirt road comes out about two miles down the hill, Kono and I, with a couple medics, just reached it and we're going to start making our way toward you, hopefully Danny's somewhere between us." Chin relayed.

"He should be, I'm still following…" Steve paused as he rounded a small bend in the road. "Danny…" He whispered, taking in the retreating form a few yard ahead of him, he noticed his friend stumble slightly, his step wavering. Steve could just make out the small set of legs that stuck out from the rest of Danny's silhouette. "Chin, I see him. Look man double-time it in here, he's not gonna get much further." Steve broke contact as he picked up speed, "DANNY!"

McGarrett watched his partner stop, wavering dangerously, before he slowly turned. The sight before him broke Steve's heart as he reached his injured friend, tear-streaks lined Danny's dirt and blood covered face. Blinking, Danny seemed to be trying to focus on Steve who stopped just feet from him. A broken "Steve?" told the SEAL that his friend didn't know if he was really there. He watched Danny look down at the still form in his arms, then looked pleadingly back up, the sound of his partner's voice and the words he spoke tore through Steve's soul, "Steve…please…help her." Danny sobbed, his strength finally giving out, his knees buckling.

Steve lunged forward, grabbing for Danny as he dropped, his arms surround both his friend and the precious cargo held close to his chest, "I got ya buddy, helps coming." Steve whispered as he felt nearly all of Danny's weight leaning against him. "Here Danny, I need to get you down man, let me have Grace…I got her now." Steve wanted to take the child from his friend's arms, he needed to make sure she was still alive, but he also needed to get Danny onto his back.

The broken sobs of Williams reached Steve's ears, "Tried to help…she said it hurt…God, Steve…my baby's…please." Danny tried to stay upright once Steve pulled Grace from his arms with little effort since his strength was failing. "Take care of her for me…please Steve. Make sure…make sure she knows Danno loves her…" Danny's breath hitched as he listed further over, Steve grabbing his shirt, trying to ease him down.

"Helps coming Danny, you can tell her yourself when we get you out of here, just hang on man." Danny was on his back now, blinking slowly, his eyes on his daughter's form in his partner's arms, "She's okay right? She's still…?" Danny coughed slightly, his eye's pinching shut.

Steve took that second distraction and did what he'd been afraid to do and placed his fingers against the little girl's neck. He held his breath, moving his hand a little more, pressing just a little harder, praying for something. He would not sit here and tell his best friend that he couldn't find a pulse on his precious little girl and Steve refused to believe that the tiny girl in his arms could be gone. "Come on Grace." Steve whispered, staring into the angelic, dirt and blood covered face in lap.

"Steve?" The sobbed cry of his name pulled Steve's eyes up to meet Danny's. Steve tried to hide the fear, the disbelief he knew his face held as he met his friend's eyes. "No…" Danny choked, reaching his hand out and grabbing his little girls limp one, "no no no, God…Grace…" He sobbed. McGarrett watched the world crash down on top of Danny Williams, he saw the moment his friend gave up. Steve knew in that moment Danny was giving up staying in a world where his daughter didn't exist.

"Danny!" Steve shouted, watching the other man's eyes close, tears still leaking from the sides. Steve shook his head, "God this isn't happening" Putting his fingers again to the small neck he pressed harder, there had to be something, he wasn't going to sit on a no-name dirt road in Hawaii and lose his best friend and a little girl he'd never even realized he cared so much about. "Come on Grace…come on…" For an instant he thought he felt the slightest hint of movement beneath his digits, he refused to move, fearing it was an illusion, but then he felt it again and again. "That a girl Grace." He looked back at his unconscious partner, grabbing his arm, "Danny! She's alive Danny! So damn it you better fight man, don't you dare give up, you hear me?" Steve grabbed a fist full of his friend's shirt and shook him hard, "Do you hear me? Grace's alive Danny so you fight!"

Steve looked up as he heard the noise of running feet approaching, "Danny helps here man, don't you give up, Grace needs you, you hear me? She needs her Danno!" McGarrett feared his friend had completely lost consciousness before Steve had found the faint beating of Grace's pulse. He knew his friend would give up if he thought his daughter was gone and that fear made it's self a reality just before the first EMT reached them. Steve heard the faint exhale from his friend, then Danny's chest didn't move again.


	5. Chapter 5

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 5  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Well made it through training-give me a person lecturing over a mono-tone computer tutorial any day. At least with a real person giving you the info you can asked questions. Anyway I survived and did manage to learn a little, so 'yeah me'. I am getting close to the end of my story (Don't worry we're looking at at least a ten chapter story-so we have a few more to go) As I get closer to the end I get excited and will probably post a little faster-wish me luck on that. Thank you again to everyone who's reviewed and alerted, I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again you guys are AWESOME!-Montez_

Steve McGarrett had no idea how long he'd been sitting in the waiting room, all he knew was the sun was starting to set and he still didn't have any word on his best friend or his best friends daughter. Head held in his hands his mind flashed back to those terrifying minutes between finding Danny stumbling along the dirt road, Grace clutched to his chest and the ambulance heading back up the dirt road toward the main road, that was the last time he'd seen Danny and Grace.

In those minutes so much had happened, in those minutes he hadn't been able to find Grace's pulse once he pulled the unconscious girl from her father's grip. He'd watched his friend give up the will to live in a world that he believed his daughter was no longer a part of. Steve had begged his friend to fight, had begged God to not take the only thing his partner lived for. God had answered that prayer as Steve desperately tried to find a pulse on the little girl, finally feeling the thump beneath his finger tips just seconds after Danny had gone still. Shaking his friend, shouting at him to fight, that Grace was still with them and that she needed her Danno to fight, Steve had watched Danny exhale, but not inhale again.

Steve had watched Chin, Kono and two Medics finally reached them just as Danny breathed his last. "He's not breathing!" Steve shouted, Chin and one of the EMT's quickly starting CPR on the Jersey native while the other EMT circled to Steve, Grace held tightly in his arms. Kono helped lay the little girl onto one of the backboards the medics had brought with them, oxygen mask quickly placed over her tiny face, a faint hint of mist showed she was indeed breathing.

"Come on Danny!" Chin shouted between compressions as the EMT quickly got a tube inserted down the blond man's throat, forcing air into his still chest. Steve watched as if some how detached from what was happening around him. Hell he'd been in the middle of war zones, seen some of the worst that could be done to a human body, but this, this seemed to render him helpless. The sight of Grace Williams laying so still and pale, the medic working to prep her for transport. The sight of his friend, his partner, Detective Danny Williams having to be shocked back to life after the man had given up, thinking his daughter was gone.

The sound of a vehicle slowly approaching pulled Steve's attention to the wider view of the scene before him. Chin moved back, the medic calling clear as a current caused Danny's body to jump. Looking at Grace Steve saw Kono holding the little girls hand, whispering to her in hopes of waking her.

The ambulance came to a halt just yards from the activity, two more medics jumping out, "I've got something, it's not much so we need to go!" the first medic yelled, Chin rocking back on his feet, moving quickly as another EMT started helping to prep Danny for transport. Steve had finally gotten to his feet watching two of the emergency personal lift Grace, carrying her toward the ambulance, he quickly followed.

"We've got a helicopter meeting us at the lookout to take them both to Queens." The older of the four EMT's looked at Steve as the other team brought Danny to the rig, sliding him into the back with his daughter.

"Please, just make sure you keep telling him his daughter's alive…he thought…he won't fight if he thinks she's gone." Steve pleaded, the older man jumped in the back.

"We've got'em, I'll make sure he knows." The medic could see the pleading in Steve's eyes. "We'll take care of them." With that another medic jumped in the back to help as the remaining two slammed the doors shut, racing toward the front of the vehicle. Within seconds it finally started making it's way cautiously up the muddied road, light's going, but sirens not activated until it had disappeared and made it to the main road, the sound carrying in the distance as it headed toward the lookout and the chopper.

"Steve?" Kono's quiet voice drew his attention as he leaned back in the chair, his eye's focusing on the only female member of the 5-0 team, "Here." She held out a cup of coffee for him to take before sitting in a chair across from him. "Still no word?"

Steve took a drink of the coffee, relishing the burn down his throat. Letting out a deep breath he leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, "No." A few minutes of silence passed between them before McGarrett spoke again. "Chin get a hold of Rachel?"

"He's trying, she's not answering her phone and apparently the housekeeper was given the weekend off since Rachel and Stan were going out of town and Danny had Grace. So he's trying to get a hold of someone at Stan's business to see if they know where they are." Kono answered, watching her boss run his hand over his face.

"Any word yet?" Chin's calm voice asked, entering the waiting room.

"Not yet." Kono replied, Steve remaining silent, taking another sip of coffee.

"I think I might have an idea on what happened." Chin sat down next to Kono, Steve's gaze meeting his telling him to go on. "Do you remember passing the accident at the bottom of the hill, the black compact on it's side?"

Steve's brow netted, he vaguely recalled the fire truck and cruisers on his way to Danny. "Yea."

"Well apparently the driver had been drinking and missed the shape curve at the bottom of the hill, plus he was speeding. Anyway a friend of mine in HPD just called a while ago and said the kid driving the car started babbling something about almost hitting a silver car. When officers asked him where that was he mumbled something that sounded like 'over the side' before he passed out. Apparently the kid just got a concussion from the accident but his blood alcohol was twice the limit." Chin finished, seeing anger flash in McGarrett's eyes.

"So some dumbass drunk driver ran Danny off the road then didn't stop to help?" Steve leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"He was too wasted to realize what he'd really done." Chin replied.

"Yea, well I'm gonna make him realize what he did. Did you tell HPD that we don't want him released on bail?" Steve's voice had taken a hard edge, some idiot who thought it was a smart idea to drink and drive had nearly killed Danny and Grace.

"Oh yea, the guys at the station aren't to happy with the driver either…once the Governor got wind of what happened she made a call to the DA's office. I don't think that kids going anywhere anytime soon." Chin answered, no real solace in the statement considering they still had no idea if Danny and Grace would even make it.

"Family of Grace Williams." A middle aged man in a white-coat stepped into the waiting room, the three members of 5-0 all standing at once.

Steve approached the man, "I'm Lt. Commander McGarrett, we're here for Grace and Danny both. We're trying to reach Grace's mother, please how is she?"

"Commander," The doctor shook Steve's hand then motioned for them to sit down, "I'm Dr. Iona, Grace has been moved to the Pediatric ICU, she had some severe bruising, mainly from the where the seatbelt held her and the force of impact from the accident, she was very lucky to not have any internal bleeding, but we're still gonna keep an eye out, just incase. She has a moderate concussion and a few contusions, the one just above her left ear required a few stitches, most of the others should heal on their own. We've got her on antibiotics and a mild pain medication, she's going to be very sore, but considering what she's been through she's a very lucky little girl."

"Oh thank God," Steve breathed out, running his hand over his face. "So she's gonna be okay?" He'd heard the doctor, but just needed the reassurance a second time.

The doctor nodded, "With time she should make a complete recovery."

Chin reached over and pulled Kono into a hug, Steve sat for a second, just needing to take in that the little girl that felt so limp in his arms was really going to be okay. After about a minute McGarrett looked back at the doctor, "Do you know anything about Danny Williams?"

"He's still in surgery…I checked with one of surgeons before coming out, expecting you'd want to know something. They are working on repairing some internal injuries, he's got a couple of broken ribs, one which was dangerously close to puncturing his lung. He's got severe bruising on the left side of his body, there is a hairline fracture in his hip, but their biggest concern is the skull fracture he suffered from his head impacting the drivers side window. There is indication of some swelling. Right now it's very touch and go, we honestly don't know how he was able to get his daughter and himself out of the vehicle then walk almost a mile from the crash site." Dr. Iona finished looking at the three people before him, seeing the pain in their faces at what their friend was going through.

"Do you how much longer he'll be in surgery?" Steve finally finding his voice, trying to process just how bad off his best friend was.

"Hopefully no longer than a couple more hours." the doctor answered.

"Can we see Grace?" Steve needed to see Danny's little girl, to see with his own eyes that she was on the mend, so that when he got to see Danny he could tell his partner to keep fighting because his daughter needed him.

"I'll have a nurse come out and get you in a few minutes, we are just getting her settled." Dr. Iona stood as did the 5-0 team, once exchanging handshakes the doctor disappeared through the faux wood doors.

Steve stood staring for a minute, to many things were going through his mind, he glanced at Kono and Chin, the older man reaching out and squeezing the younger man's shoulder. "He's tough Steve, he'll fight."

"Not if he doesn't realize Grace is still alive. Chin you didn't see…when I couldn't…" Steve choked slightly, "When I couldn't find her pulse at first, I saw it in his eye's…Chin he didn't want to live because he thought he'd lost her, that's when…" Steve's eyes took on a haunted look, the images of Danny's last breath escaping replayed in his mind.

Chin knew what Steve was trying to say, they all knew Danny lived for his daughter. Hell he'd given up everything he knew to come live somewhere he really didn't want to be just so he could be near her. The older man watched as McGarrett stepped away from him and Kono, stopping in front of the window that faced the now set sun. Steve crossed his arms in front of him, watching the last hints of sunlight fade into the Pacific, hoping this wasn't the last sunset Danny Williams would be around for.

_A/N#2: Had a quick question for you guys since I haven't seen very many HF0 episodes yet. Does Grace really call Steve 'Uncle Steve'? and what was Danny's former partners name?_


	6. Chapter 6

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 6  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Again, and I can't say this enough, Thank You All for the wonderful reviews and alerts. Thanks too for answering my questions at the end of my last chapter. As I mentioned before I haven't seen very many of the episodes yet and hadn't heard the 'Uncle Steve' reference, but noticed several writers who used it in thier stories. Also thanks for the help on the name of Danny's former HPD partner-I tried to figure out which episode involved that story line and was having some difficulty. But hey I knew you guys would come through for me. Oh and I know I mentioned that there would be at least ten chapters to this story, well an idea hit me and it will be a few more than that (hope you guys don't mind) and a couple of you mentioned the absense of Rachel, personnally I don't really like her, so I'm delaying her entrance into the story as long as possible, but I know she's got to show up eventually. Thanks again-Montez_

A few minutes later a nurse walked into the waiting room, "The doctor said one of you can come back to see Grace now."

Steve stood, glancing toward Chin and Kono. "You go, I'll see if there's been any luck in tracking down Rachel." Chin replied, knowing Steve needed to see Grace as much as he needed to see Danny.

"I think I'll try and find us something to eat." Kono replied, stepping up next to her cousin.

McGarrett nodded then followed the nurse through the doors. As they neared the glassed off cubicles she stopped him. She's still sleeping, when she wakes up she'll be confused. Right now she's doing really well considering what she's been through." The young woman finished, motioning Steve to step through the slightly pulled curtain.

The faint beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing Steve noticed, then his eye's focused on the incredible tiny figure in the bed. Slowly stepping forward he stopped next to the bed, looking down into the still, pale face of Danny's daughter. He wasn't use to seeing the lively little girl this still. Though not nearly as animated as her father, Grace did contain the energy of a normal eight year old, and for her to be so still wasn't right.

The dirt and blood had been cleaned off her small face, the couple of scraps she had were covered with the tiniest butterfly bandages he'd ever seen. Her brown hair was no longer in the twin pony-tails she normally sported, but laying loose, a small white patch of gauze was just above her ear on the left hand side, he couldn't tell if they'd needed to remove any of her hair to access the injury. He reached out to touch her small hand but hesitated. "You can touch her, it won't hurt her." The nurse said softly. Steve had forgotten the woman was in the room with him.

He'd never been around many kids, never really knew how to act around them, but Grace had been different. She'd warmed to him quickly and he found himself drawn to her because of the different insight her presence gave him of Danny. He loved to watch his partner interact with his daughter, Danny could play the bad-ass cop as much as Steve, but when he was around Grace, Danny was a totally different guy. Steve had hated all the crap his ex had given Danny over visiting Grace, most of it coming since Williams started working with 5-0, so to some extent Steve felt responsible. That's why when they knew it was Danny's turn to be with Grace, everyone else worked just a bit more so the man wouldn't have to cancel those few hours a week.

Pulling a nearby chair closer to the bed, Steve took a deep breath then reached his hand up and took Grace's smaller one in his. "Hey kiddo." Steve said softly, taking comfort in the little girls hand being warm in his. "You sure gave us a scare, you and your daddy both. When you and your daddy get better I'll take you guys up to that lookout, okay, so you work on getting better for me." Steve watched for any movement, to see if the little girl might be waking up, but she remained still.

"You can stay with her for a little while, if all goes well over the next several hours she will probably be moved to a regular room." The younger woman said before turning to leave the room.

Grateful he was allowed to stay with Grace, Steve set back in the chair, but his hand continued to gently hold onto hers. It was about a half an hour later when he felt the smaller hand twitch and a soft moan escaped the young child. Steve stood, "Grace? Hey kiddo, can you hear me?"

A small whimper was heard, that tore at Steve's heart, as he watched Grace try and blink her eyes open, "D…no?" Steve's breath hitched as the little girl called out for her daddy.

Squeezing her hand gently Steve spoke softly, "No sweety, it's Steve."

Finally Grace Williams' tired, confused brown eye's opened slightly, looking up at the man that wasn't her father. The oxygen mask muffled her words some, but Steve knew what she was saying, "W…nt…D…no."

McGarrett could actually feel his eye's start to water at the painful plea of the little girl lying before him. He heard her breath catch as she started to cry, "Sh…Hey…it's okay Grace…Danno'll be here soon…" _'God please don't make me a liar' _Steve thought to himself, "You rest now Grace, okay, I'll stay with you until Danno get's here. He said to tell you to remember Danno loves you, okay?" Grace nodded slightly as her eye's started to drift shut again, "You sleep now…" Steve finished, stroking the top of her head, watching her eye's close and her breathing even out. Without thinking Steve leaned down and kissed the little girl on the forehead before retaking his seat.

Steve had been staring at the little girl sleeping on the sterile white sheets of the hospital bed when he felt someone touch his arm, looking up he saw the nurse. "Detective Williams is out of surgery, the doctor is in the waiting room." She watched Steve stand, the man seemed hesitant to leave the little girl, but the nurse could tell that he needed to find out about his friend also. "She'll be okay, I'll come get you if she wakes up again."

The taller man gave her an appreciative nod before stepping up to the bed. Touching Grace's head, Steve gently squeezed her hand as he spoke softly. "Grace, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go check on Danno for ya." With another glance at the nurse, McGarrett hurried out of the room.

Chin and Kono were standing with a green scrub-clad man in the hallway just outside the PICU when Steve came out the door. "How is he?" He asked as he crossed the few feet to them.

"Commander…I'm Dr. Hale, I was Det. Williams' surgeon. Please let's sit…" The doctor motioned to the nearby cluster of chairs.

Steve's patience was waning, this was most definitely in the top five worst days of his life and the man before him, though well intended, was just making it worse. "Look, just tell me my partner's still alive okay, I've got his little girl back there asking for her daddy."

"Det. Williams made it through surgery, but is in grave condition. Considering the magnitude of the accident most of is injuries are relatively minor. We were able to repair the internal injuries and reset his ribs. He was very lucky it didn't puncture his lung. The hip fracture wasn't as bad as we thought, but it will give him some problems for a while, as will his knee, which we could tell had previously injured." The doctor paused as he made sure everyone was following.

"Okay, but I'm sensing a really be 'but' coming." Steve added, wishing the man would just come out with it.

"You're right," The doctor continued, "Our biggest concern, is the skull fracture. He has a severe concussion, but there is also a problem with his brain swelling. Though it has appeared to have slowed, we are hoping we will not have to go in to help relieve some of the pressure, we are monitoring it closely. Right now Det. Williams is in a coma." Dr. Hale watched the three people before him pale slightly.

"But he'll be okay, right?" Kono asked, tears filling her eyes as she felt Chin take her hand in support.

"Honestly, I don't know. Right now it's a wait and see game. As long as the swelling doesn't get any worse, we are cautiously optimistic, however the longer he's in a coma the more chances we have of other problems arising. A lot is now riding on whether Det. Williams has the strength to fight, because there just isn't much else we can do at this point except try and control the swelling and wait." Dr. Hale finished.

"When can we see him?" Steve asked. Just like with Grace, he needed to see his partner. He needed to tell him Grace was okay, that she was alive. Steve knew Danny would not fight to stay alive if he'd lost consciousness before he realized Steve had finally found the little girls pulse, and in Steve's gut he knew Danny hadn't heard him. He knew on the damn dirt road when he watched his friend exhale his last breath.

"He's in recovery, I can let you back for just a minute before we move him to the ICU. After that I'm going to ask he not have an visitors for at least twelve hours, we will be monitoring him closely and I've scheduled him to have scans ever two hours to watch the swelling." Dr. Hale told McGarrett.

Steve ran his hand over his face and looked at Kono, "Kono, go sit with Grace, I don't want her waking up by herself…if she asks for Danny just tell her…tell her I'm taking care of her daddy, okay." Kono nodded before she made her way toward the PICU to sit with Danny's little girl.

"If you gentlemen will follow me." The surgeon motioned for Chin and Steve to follow. Stopping just outside the cubicle Dr. Hale turned. "As I said most of his other injuries were surprisingly minor, but with the swelling and the fact he was in respiratory distress when he arrived I believe on erring on the side of caution and have decided to keep him on the ventilator until the swelling starts to go down, then we will see if his body is able to breath on its own."

"You said he's in a coma, he might be able to hear us thought right? I mean they say people in coma's can sometimes hear people talking to them right?" Steve sounded desperate, he needed to have a little hope that he might be able to get through to his friend.

"There have been cases where patients in coma's have claimed to have heard friends and loved ones talking to them." Dr. Hale nodded.

Steve looked at Chin, who always seemed to have the most calming expression during the most extreme times and Steve took comfort in that as the older man gave him a slight nod. Chin knew what Steve was getting at in the question. Running his had through his hair, then over his face again, McGarrett faced the doctor. "Look, can you make sure…make a note in his chart or something, that whenever anyone and I mean anyone, checks on him or is in the room with him, that they tell him his daughter is alive." At the funny look the doctor gave him Steve continued. "He won't fight if he thinks he's lost her. Back on the road, when I found him…at first I couldn't find a pulse on Grace and I saw it in his eye's. He lost consciousness before I found it and I tried to tell him, but that's when…" Steve saw the doctor nodding in understanding. "He moved over five thousand miles just to be close to his daughter, that little girl is his world and if he thinks she's gone, he will not fight. Just please, I know it's a long shot whether he can hear us, but please, just have them tell him anytime someone's with him."

Dr. Hale saw the pleading in Steve's expression, the subtle nodding of Chin beside him. The doctor had seen it happen before, if both a parent and child were hurt in an accident and the child didn't make it, the parent would sometimes give up the will to live. So he understood what the man before was trying to convey. "I'll let the nurse's know and make sure it's noted. I can only give you a few minutes with him now though."

Steve, feeling the doctor understood how important what he was asking was, nodded, then turned to enter the glass enclosed cubicle that contained his partner, his friend.


	7. Chapter 7

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 7  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

Stepping through the doorway, Steve took in the sight of his best friend lying in the hospital bed. Shock was what he felt seeing how vulnerable the injured man looked. Yea, he'd see Danny hurt before, hell just hours after meeting the man, Danny'd been grazed by a bullet, but he'd never seen his partner laid up before. If he was honest with himself, it scared the hell out of him. It seemed impossible that this was his normally over the top, boisterous partner, who's hand-waving antics as he talked often amused Steve. This, this was a whole different level of unnatural, silence and stillness were not Detective Danny Williams.

Steve moved closer to the bed, the sound of the ventilator breaking the quiet of the small room, the faint beep of the heart monitor barely heard afterward. "Danny…" McGarrett barely whispered as he took in the vivid bruising, mostly on the left side of his friend's body. A few butterfly bandages ran along Williams' brow and his chin, there was gauze wrapped around Danny's head, a slightly larger bulge just up and behind his left ear, no doubt where his head had connected with the side window. Steve glanced up toward Chin, who'd stopped at the foot of the bed, taking in the seemingly broken form of their haole.

Steve reached out and placed his hand just above Danny's wrist, making sure to not disturb the IV lines running into the back of the man's hand. Then without thinking, he laid his other hand on top of Danny's head. "Danny?" Steve spoke softly, silently praying his friend was hearing him, hoping he would feel something that told him Danny was fighting. "Hey, man…don't know if you can hear me, but you need to keep fighting okay? Grace is alive Danny…she's going to be okay and she's asking for her Danno, do you hear me? She needs her Danno, so you need to make your way back to us, to her. Do you hear me?" Steve gave his partner's wrist a gentle squeeze, hoping for a response, but knowing he wouldn't get one.

"We're getting ready to move him to the ICU now." Dr. Hale stepped into the room, a nurse and orderly just behind, "Like I said, I'm restricting visitors for at least twelve hours, but I'll come and give you regular updates after each scan."

Steve looked up at the doctor as he straightened, "Please, just make sure you keep telling him that Grace is okay. I know it's a long-shot, but if there is even a chance of him hearing, he needs to hear that."

"The staff has been informed; I promise it will be mentioned anytime someone is working with Det. Williams." Dr. Hale watched as Steve nodded, knowing the doctor would hold to his promise.

Leaning back down just a second, Steve squeezed Danny's wrist again, "Danny, I'm gonna be with Grace and I'll be back to see you just as soon as the doc let's me. Just remember that Grace is okay and needs you, you fight to get back to her."

Stepping back from the bed, Steve glanced at Chin, who gave him an encouraging nod, the older man knowing there wasn't much else they could do for the injured detective, as he too silently prayed the Steve's words were getting through.

Twelve hours passed, Steve had stayed with Grace in the PICU, daring anyone to tell him to leave, ready to pull the Governor card if need be. At the ten hour mark the doctor's felt confident enough to move the eight-year old to a regular room, McGarrett with her every step of the way. She'd woke up a couple times, neither for very long, but each time she would call out for her father, for her Danno and each time he tore at his heart and soul a little more. The final time she'd become so upset that when Steve had sat on the edge of the bed to help calm her, she slowly shifted herself toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck, crying herself to sleep against his chest.

That was how Kono and Chin found them when they returned with some much needed coffee. Once Grace had fallen asleep, McGarrett had tried to lay her back down, but her grip tightened on him, so he had carefully moved himself back, adjusting the angle of the bed where he could lean back a little more comfortably. "How's she doing?" Kono asked, sitting next to Steve's leg, placing her hand on the small girl's back.

"She almost started hyperventilating, I didn't want them to have to sedate her, when I sat on the bed to try and calm her, she crawled in my lap and wouldn't let go." Steve ran one of his hand through his hair, his finger tips pressing against his eye's then pinching the bridge of his nose. Looking at Chin he asked, "Please tell me after this much time, someone has been able to track Rachel down."

The older man sat in the chair Steve had vacated, "With it being the weekend, it took us forever to find someone in Stan's company that actually had an idea of what his schedule was. Apparently he and Rachel went to some secluded resort on one of the other island, ironically enough it was one of those places where you're not suppose to take you cell phones, laptops or anything like that. I finally got a location of the place and have sent HPD to go and pick them up, but it could still be a few hours before they get here."

The small child in Steve's arms whimpered slightly, he ran his hand over her arm, while Kono rubbed small circles on her back, the little girl quieting again. "What am I gonna tell her when she wakes up more alert?" Just as McGarrett asked that question, the door opened to reveal Dr. Hale, Danny's doctor. "How were the last set of scans?" Steve asked quietly.

Dr. Hale stopped at the end of the bed, it comforted the doctor to see the support system the small child and his patient had. Yes he knew these people were law enforcement officers, and yes he knew of the closeness that was created among colleagues, but this seemed to go even beyond that. Since the arrival of the crash victims the three people before him hadn't left the hospital, each taking a turn sitting with the young girl so she wouldn't be alone. But with each visit to update the trio on Det. Danny Williams, Dr. Hale noticed that it was the Commander that refused to leave the small child for very long. It made what he had to tell these people that much harder.

Steve, ever observant, pickup on the hesitancy of the doctor. Most of Danny's previous scans had showed steady decreasing of the swelling that was going on inside Danny's skull, but the look on the doctor's face caused the knot to twist in his stomach even more. Subconsciously he held Grace just a little tighter, somewhere in his mind believing he was protecting the young girl from the words the doctor was getting ready to utter. "What's wrong?"

Taking a deep breath Dr. Hale started, "The last scans gave us both good new and bad new. The good is that the swelling is completely gone, the pressure is back to normal levels."

"The bad?" Chin asked quietly, his calm voice betraying the emotions that were battling just below the surface, those of fear and worry.

"The bad is there appears to be a marginal decrease in some of his brain activity." The doctor responded.

"What?" Steve wasn't sure he fully understood.

"When there is a decrease in brain activity, we start to see a system's shutdown. Without the brain telling the body what it's suppose to do, it stops doing those involuntary functions that keeps us alive." The doctor watched as the realization of what he was saying finally hit the man holding the tiny girl.

"So you're saying Danny's dying?" Steve couldn't believe he was saying those words, there was no way his partner, his friend, the father of the little girl now clinging to him was dying.

Dr. Hale watched as the young woman on the bed raised her hand to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. He watched the older man in the chair; put his hand to his head, disbelief showing in his eyes. Then he watched as the man sitting on the bed laid his head down on top of the little girls, placing a gentle kiss to her crown. "I'm sorry; there really isn't much else we can do."

The room was silent a minute, everyone absorbing what seemed to be happening, but it was a tiny voice that brought their attention to Grace Williams, "I wanna see Danno."

Steve looked down as the little girl looked up at him with tear-filled big, brown eyes. McGarrett felt his own eyes sting at the sadness he saw in the little girls look, none of them realizing she'd been awake long enough to hear what was happening with her father. Taking a deep breath, Steve looked at Kono. "Kono, go find Grace's doctor." Without hesitation she jumped up and headed out the door.

"I don't know if what you're thinking is a good idea Commander." Dr. Hale may not have been Grace's doctor but he of course had the small patients well being in mind. But he saw a determination set in the dark-haired man's face, a resolve that told anyone looking that he didn't give a crap what anyone else thought, he was going to do what the little girl had requested, come hell or high water.

Steve had started to ease himself and Grace toward the edge of the bed, Chin helping him. "Look," Steve looked at the doctor, "Grace is a smart girl, obviously she heard what we said. And if it's true then I need to take her to see her father. Like I told you before, this little girl is his life, if there is even a chance we need to take it and if God forbid he doesn't make it, she needs to see him, she needs to have this time with him." _'Time I didn't get' _Steve said in his head, knowing the years he'd missed with his own father was something he would never forgive himself for, but it was also from the guilt of not being with his father in the end, never getting that last chance to tell him he loved him.

Just then Kono returned with Dr. Iona, McGarrett's voice taking on the tone of a Commander giving an order and daring anyone to question it, "I'm taking Grace to see her father."


	8. Chapter 8

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 8  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

The smell was unmistakable, it was a smell he would never forget, but hadn't smelt in nearly two years. His eyes still closed he inhaled deeply, the searing aroma of cooking beef, the faint undercurrent of barbeque, the soothing smell of his favorite beer, the one he could only find back home, back in New Jersey. Opening his eye's he took in the site of one of his favorite places, Sal's Steakhouse. The pot-marked, well-worn table tops, the bar lined with all types of beers and spirits, even those crappy imports, greeted his gaze as he looked around. He could just make out the open strings of Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead or Alive coming from the jukebox in the corner. Danny Williams couldn't help but smile; he was home.

He looked around the restaurant as he stood from his seat, he just now seemed to notice he was the only person in the business, but the sounds of a bustling establishment could be heard. The sound of dishing clanging in the background, the low rumble of dozens of people talking, the clinking of beer bottles being settled on tables. He could hear it all, but there was no one around, "Hello?" he called out, nearing the doorway that led to the kitchen, the sound of the steaks cooking, the shuffling of workers moving back and forth was coming through the doorway, but when he looked in, again all he found was emptiness.

He felt an unsettledness in his heart, something wasn't right, this was home, this is where he'd dreamed he could be almost everyday since he'd landed in the pineapple-infested hell-hole that was known as Hawaii. He had even endured Steve's rant at him that no one from Hawaii, but Danny himself, wanted to be in New Jersey. He never told his friend, but it had hurt his feelings somewhat at the native Hawaiian's dishing of his home state. Danny would wear his dress pants, his dress shirt and his ties, that no one else in Hawaii wore. He didn't want to fit in there, he was proud to be a mainlander, he was proud to be a Jersey boy and he'd shout from the highest point in Hawaii. But now, now as he stood in the middle of Sal's something felt wrong, felt off and he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"You know I was always holding out hope that you'd eventually learn to like Hawaii, but seriously haole, a restaurant in New Jersey? This has got to be Sal's, am I right?" The voice behind him, caused Danny's breath to hitch, he hadn't talked to the man in nearly a year and then his ex-partner had to go and die on him. Danny had known from the minute he'd heard about Meka Hanamoa's murder, then the accusations that he'd been dirty, that he'd find who'd set up and killed his friend. "Thanks for clearing my name brah; I knew if anyone could do it, it would be you."

Danny turned and saw the smiling face his former partner leaning against the hostess stand near the front door of Sal's. "Meka?"

The other man smiled slightly then walked toward Williams, "Always the detective aren't you." Danny felt his friend's arms encircle him, taking a second to hug the man back.

"What? How?" Danny stumbled over his words, his brain not being able to put a coherent thought together as he watched his dead friend step back.

"Somebody write this date down, Detective Danny Williams, at a loss for words." The other man smiled as Danny did an imitation of a fish out of water. "Close your mouth Danny, you might get sand in it."

Closing his mouth, Danny turned around, he was still in Sal's, then he turned back, his ex-partner was still standing there. "What are you doing here? You're…" Again Williams hesitated.

"You can say it babe, I'm dead." Meka responded.

Running his hand through his hair, Danny's hands flew up in a gesture of 'what the hell?' He then put them on his hips, then in front of him, rolling his right hand as he spoke. "Okay…" Danny paused, bring his right hand to his head, then both hands came together in front of him in a prayer motion, as he pointed at his friend, "How are you here? This is Jersey, you've never been here, it's been two years since I've been here. How…" Again Danny turned and paced a few steps, his hands working wildly again, Meka had missed his animated partner, "What's going on? You're dead; I'm back home at Sal's…" Meka watched the haole pale slightly, realization seeming to dawn on the Jersey native, "Oh God…" Both Danny's hands came to rest on his head, "The car…" His eye's met his friends, "There was a wreck…" Finally terror shown in Danny's face, "Oh God, Grace." His hand going to his mouth.

This time Hanamoa stepped up, grabbed his ex-partner by the shoulders and shook him a little, "Danny, look at me…." Fearful, terrified, pleading blue eye's meet dark brown ones. "Grace is fine, she's okay, do you understand?"

Running his hands over his face, Danny let out a shuttered breath, "No…" He stepped from his friends grip, "No, Steve couldn't… I saw it in his face…" The last thing Danny could remember was the shocked, devastated look in his new partner's eyes, a look that told Danny that Grace was gone, his baby was gone. Williams backed up, his back hitting the wall behind him; he legs giving out as he slid to the floor.

Meka knelt in front of him, "Look at me man," The other man waited for the haunted gaze to meet his, "Steve was able to find her pulse, you passed out before he could, but he found it and he's been trying to do everything possible to make sure you knew Grace was still alive. Danny listen to me McGarrett pleaded with you on that road, trying to get through to you, he made sure the paramedics repeatedly told you Grace was alive. He tried telling you again in the hospital and made the doctor promise, made him put a note in your chart that anytime anyone came in your room they were to tell you that Grace was okay, that she was recovering and waiting for you."

Danny watched his former partner, the man had never lied to him in time they'd worked together and the man knew to never lie to him about something as important as his daughter's wellbeing. Quickly standing Williams looked at the man, "Meka, I need to get to her…God she looked so broken…her voice…she was scared and hurting."

Meka looked at Danny, the man's life revolved around his daughter. That's why he'd moved away from his home, away from his life to start over in an alien place. "This is what I needed to see, the fight." Danny gave his friend a confused look, "You stopped fighting man, when you thought you'd lost her, you gave up. You've scared the hell out of your team. I had to come here to make sure you knew, that you understood that Grace was still alive, and that she needed you to fight to get back to her. She's still scared Danny, she's scared she losing her Danno."

The fire was back, that fire that burned in his chest that drove him to move to Hawaii, to do anything and everything possible to be near his daughter, to be a part of her life. Danny glanced at the front door of Sal's, then back to Meka. No words were exchanged, just a look of gratitude. Gratitude on Meka Hanamoa's part that his former partner had fought so hard for him after he was killed and gratitude from Danny Williams that somehow his former partner had found a way through to him, whether it was his mind that conjured up Meka's ghost because of Steve's insistence the everyone was to remind him that Grace was alive or not. Regardless Danny knew both his former partner and his current partner was trying to get him to fight, and damn if this Jersey boy didn't know how to fight. So with that Danny raced toward the front doors, throwing them open he was greeted with a vast expanse of beach and Pacific blue waters, without a second thought Danny Williams took off running, he needed to get back to his daughter, he needed to get back to Grace.

505050505050

The precession through the hallways was unlike anything anyone had ever seen. Nurses and doctors stopped their work, to watch it pass. Everyone seemed to sense the sadness that followed the group, but none dared to interfere. The group of four men, one woman and one tiny little girl walked cautiously, but purposely through the corridors. Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett, the most imposing figure of the group carried Grace Williams in his arms, the little girls head leaning against his chest, her small fist curled into the front of his tee-shirt. Detective Chin Ho Kelly flanked McGarrett on the right; Officer Kono Kalakaua flanked the left. Dr.'s Iona and Hale bringing up the rear.

Steve had prepared himself for a fight when Kono returned with Grace's doctor, but the look from Dr. Hale and the 'just think you can tell me I'm not taking her' look he received from McGarrett caused the young doctor to agree to allow Grace to visit her father. The one stipulation was he would accompany them, the little girl was still under his care, she'd only been awake for a short time and he wanted to make sure she didn't become too upset. Dr. Iona had told Steve that if he felt it was doing more harm than good for the little girl then he would insist that she be returned to her own room, and he made it clear that in no uncertain terms that if McGarrett or any other member of his team tried to interfere he would have them forcible removed from the hospital, he would not put in jeopardy the recovery of his patient.

The group arrived at the ICU, where Dr. Hale buzzed the group through the doors, he then led them to the last cubicle on the left, the one that held Detective Danny Williams. The doctor put his hand up just before they stepped through the curtained area. "Are you sure about this?" He asked Steve, not really sure if it would traumatize the daughter of his patient.

Again it was Grace's voice that drew the attention of the group, "I wanna see Danno." She whispered softly.

Standing here Steve gave a seconds pause, he knew in his heart, in his soul that Danny's little girl needed to see him. Looking into her tired, scared eyes he could see that, even though she was only eight, she seemed to completely understand what was happening, she had heard them and understood there was a very good chance her father would leave her soon and so with the flash of determination that he'd seen reflected in Danny's eyes many times, Steve nodded, telling Grace he understood and telling the doctor this needed to be done.

"Don't be scared Grace, I've got you and you need to remember that no matter what happens; your Danno loves you very much." A watery gaze met Steve's as the doctor reached out and held the curtain open, allowing the family of Detective Williams to enter.


	9. Chapter 9

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 9  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Because you guys are the awesomest and since I'm getting excited to be nearing completion I'm throwing an extra chapter out there for you all. This story has become so much more than I expected and it has been because of all your support. Thank you so much-Montez_

Danny Williams knew how to run, how to fight. Growing up he'd always been a bit smaller than the other kids, so early on he'd learned to run. Run from bullies, run from tormentors. Then one day there was another kid, just like him, one who was a little smaller, seemingly weaker and Danny's adversaries turned their attention to him. And having been on the receiving end of the endless crap he knew how the poor kid felt and that lit a fire inside him. Where he'd almost always managed to outrun his attackers, the other little boy was quickly surrounded and laid out on the sidewalk by a punch to the stomach. That is when the fight ignited in Danny Williams as he threw down his backpack, shoved his way through the group of kids egging on the assault and a ten year old Danny put himself between the little eight year old boy and the twelve year old bully.

To anyone else it was a beat down in the making, all the kids watching yelled on, expected to see two little kids reminded of their place in the hierarchy of the neighborhood, the big kids ruled, the little ones ran. But all that changed as the bigger kid advanced and before anyone could realize what was happening, little Danny Williams had knocked the number one neighborhood bully on his ass. A stunned silence had settled over the group of kids watching and Williams shook his hurting hand, then turned and helped the eight year old up off the ground, helped him pick-up his book bag and push their way through the crowd. Retrieving his own discarded pack he put his arm around the younger boy, gave one last hateful, daring glare over his shoulder and walked the terrified kid home.

The next day Danny had been cornered in a secluded part of the playground by the same bully and his buddies, the older boy spotting an impressive bruise along his jaw line. He could still remember the taunt of the older boy as he slammed his fist into his hand, trying his best to intimate the ten year old. "I'm gonna beat the shit out of you Williams and when I'm done, I'm gonna do it again." the older boy snarled.

It was on that day that Danny Williams' smart-ass mouth found its voice as he stood up straight, crossed his arms over his small chest and smirked. "You know…" He moved his hand out in a pointing gesture, "I thought after yesterday you'd learned to pick on someone your own size, but I guess that punch didn't knock any sense into that Neanderthal brain of yours, so it looks like I'm going to have to put it in terms only you can understand." With that Danny stomped on the older boy's foot, causing the kid to lean over, then Williams pulled back and landed another solid punch to the kid's right eye, dropping him to the ground.

At that all hell broke loose as it was four against one as the bullies groupies made a grab for the smaller boy, but this was a time that Danny's smaller statue worked to his advantage and he ducked and weaved around the larger kids, landing punch's to chins, cheeks and guts. However one had gotten a lucky hit in, causing Danny to stumble, two other's grabbed his arms. The ringleader had finally gotten to his feet, stepping toe to toe with Williams he glared down at the struggling kid as he pulled back his arm; Danny closed his eye's fully expecting pain to explode from his head.

But it was the sound of an almost primal yell that caused him to open his eyes and what he saw next would forever bring a smile to his face. The little eight year old boy he'd helped the day before, the one who was even smaller than Danny came barreling at the group and jumped on the twelve year olds back, the smaller kid's arms swinging as much as he could and still hold on, landing several hits to the bullies head. Again the groupies that followed the bully were shocked at the turn of events and the grip on Danny loosened enough that he was able to enter the fray again. Two more boys ended up on their butts before teachers had gotten wind of what was happening and broke up the fight between two scrawny little boys and four older boys nearly twice their size.

On that day, sitting in the hallway outside the principal's office Danny Williams became life-long friends with Michael Johnson and ironically enough years later both of them became friends with their one-time tormentor Justin Simmons. That day had been a defining moment in the development of Danny Williams, he'd learned he could distract and infuriate with his words, that he had a hell of a right hook and he would fight for what he believed was right.

Now it was that fire to fight that pushed him forward, he'd been against some terrible odds that day over twenty years ago, but with the help of an unlikely friend he'd come out on top. Now as he ran it was two more unlikely friends that were helping him fight. Meka had come to him, got him to understand his daughter needed him, needed him to fight to get back to her. But his mind had only been able to conjure up his ex-HPD partner because his current partner Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett had fought for him, made sure everyone knew he needed to be told his daughter, his life, was alive and waiting from him.

It would have been so easy to stay back at Sal's, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of home, but Danny'd never really done things the easy way and there was nothing, not even death itself that was going to stop him from fighting his way back to his daughter.

He'd been so focused on getting to Grace that he didn't see the drop-off he was running toward until he was upon it, the white sand beach suddenly dropped off into nothingness, the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean pounding the cliff below. His stomach lurched as the ground disappeared, his hand fly out in an attempt to grasp onto anything that would prevent his drop into the water below. Miraculously his hand grabbed an exposed root that stuck out for the cliff face, the sudden stop jerking his shoulder, "Shit…" He shouted as his other hand desperately sought purchase on the jagged rocks, "Somebody help!" Danny yelled, hoping maybe Meka would appear above him on the ledge. But no one appeared, hanging over nothingness, Danny actually started to fear he wouldn't be able to make his way back to Grace, there was no one to help pull him back up.

He cursed again as the root slipped, the rock his other hand was barely clinging to gave way as he scrambled to find purchase, but fate was being a bitch as the root slipped again. In the space of a heartbeat Danny called out "Grace I'm so sorry, please remember Danno will love you forever." As the last word left his mouth the root slipped free.

For a moment in time Danny Williams seemed to hang in mid-air before he felt the pull of gravity start to tug his body toward the crashing surf below. But in that instant he felt a grip like steel wrap around his upward stretched hand. In that instant the force of gravity halted it's pull on him as a much greater force started pulling him upwards, his loose hand again found an anchor in the rocks as he attempted to help his rescuer, it was a quiet, tiny voice that drew his eyes to his savior, "I got you Danno and I won't let go."

Danny's breath hitched, "Grace?"

505050505050

When the Five-0 team stepped through the curtain with tiny Grace Williams cradled in Steve's arms, they were overwhelmed by the equipment that surrounded their friend. McGarrett felt the little girl in his grip whimper as she looked at her father, big tears spilled over her cheeks, "Danno?" she whispered out.

Steve and Chin had seen Danny in recovery just before he was moved to the ICU and not allowed visitors for several hours as the doctors and staff worked to keep him stabilized and closely monitor his head injury, so they had seen most of the equipment, but there was a new one. Now there were little electrodes placed in different places along Danny's scalp giving a constant reading of brain activity.

McGarrett felt Grace start to tremble in his arms, he tightened his hold on her, "We can leave if you want Grace, you just tell me."

He felt her shake her head as he saw her reach her arm out toward Danny. "Danno needs me here." she whispered.

Steve moved slowly toward the side of the bed, Chin pulled up the lone chair in the room, putting it as close to the side as possible. "Take down the side Chin." Steve ordered as the older man pressed the release that would lower the rail, allowing Grace the ability to better see her father and touch him if she wanted.

With both Chin's and Kono's help Steve lowered himself and Grace into the chair, trying their best to not jar the little girls still healing injuries. Steve allowed Grace to shift herself in his lap, but he kept a loose grip on her small body, not wanting her to throw herself off balance and tumble from his lap. She twisted herself around to where her back was against McGarrett's chest, her legs hanging just over his knee's, her head turned toward her father as it rested against Steve's shoulder.

Kono adjusted the blanket that they'd wrapped Grace in before they left her room, so now it was draped across the front of her, only her right arm was sticking out. At first she laid her hand next to her father's, almost afraid to touch him. Steve couldn't see but he could feel the little girl crying, minute shivers shaking her fragile frame. Instinctively he warped his arms just a little more around her. Noting her hesitance to touch her father Steve spoke softly into her ear, "You can touch him Grace, you won't hurt him."

They all watched as she slowly moved her little hand toward he father's larger one, her fingers curling over the top as she eased Danny's hand over, palm up. Placing her smaller one into the center, she squeezed her father's fingers and whispered, "I got you Danno and I won't let go."


	10. Chapter 10

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 10  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: For those who were worried, there is a total of fourteen chapters for this story. I'll probably post another chapter later today and the rest will be posted by Tuesday. Again I want to thank all of you for the wonderful reviews and continued encouragment throughout this process-you all have help make this story what it is, you've kept that bar raised for me and I hope I continue to meet your expectations. I ask that anyone reading this please take a minute to remember the soldiers we lost in Afghanistan. To lose any soldier is a terrible thing but to lose so many at once-we really need to appreciate what our fighting men and women sacrifice for us-God keep their families. Thank you-Montez_

Silence, only broken by the sound of the respirator and the soft beeping of a heart monitor, settled over the small ICU cubicle that contained Detective Danny Williams. Dr. Hale had stepped out to speak with the nurse, he then sent an orderly to bring in a couple more chairs for the other two members of the Five-0 team. Dr. Iona watched as his tiny patient had situated herself to be as close to her father as she could, he'd then watched as she reached out to take his hand. Though there were still tears slipping free from her big, brown eyes, the doctor saw a calm and determined look also fill her eyes. Stepping out of the room, but staying in view of the little girl Dr. Iona had to admit that apparently Lt. Commander McGarrett was right, Grace Williams did need to see her father, regardless of what the ultimate outcome may be.

Steve, Chin and Kono had remained quiet, each battling with their own emotions over what was happening but also having to keep it together for the little girl before them. It tore at their hearts as they watched her situate herself so she could be closer to her father, but watching as she gently turned Danny's hand before placing her smaller one in his, then her soft words to her father, it had nearly broken them.

No one knew just how long they had been sitting there, but a quiet gasp followed by a whispered, "Danno?" had all their attention back on the little girl in Steve's lap.

"Grace?" Steve asked as he felt Grace try to move herself closer to the bed.

"He squeezed my hand…Danno squeezed my hand Uncle Steve." She turned at looked at Steve, then pointed to her hand, still intertwined with her fathers.

It was then, as Steve watched their joined hands closely that Steve saw the slight movement, the subtle curl of his partner's fingers around Grace's tiny hand. "Chin get the doctor." Steve said as he moved forward in the chair a little, allowing Grace to be just a bit closer to her father, and also allowing Steve to see Danny's face clearer, there was a hint of movement behind the unconscious man's eye lids.

Dr. Hale and Dr. Iona both stepped back in the room, "What's wrong?" Dr. Hale asked, just as he noticed a different reading coming from both the heart monitor and the EEG monitor.

It was Grace's excited voice that answered, "Danno squeezed my hand!" Steve felt the tiny girl wince as her excitement over feeling her daddy's hand curl over hers caused her to forget the pain her own body was in.

Her breath hitched as she gave a small cry of distress, "Grace?" Steve's voice took on a hint of panic when he saw the little girl let go of her father's hand and bring it around her own body as she tried to curl into herself.

Her breathing was a little ragged as her eyes pinched shut, instinctively she turned into Steve's chest, her little fist grabbing the front of is shirt, "Hurts…" she mumbled against him.

"Doc…" Steve looked up at Dr. Iona, who quickly made his way to Steve and Grace, noting the distress the little girl was in.

The doctor reached to take Grace's pulse, finding it faster than he'd like he motioned toward Chin, "Help me get them up, I need to examine her. I just think her pain medication has worn off, but I need to make sure."

The doctor and Chin grabbed Steve's arms and helped him stand with Grace still clinging to him. Dr. Iona led them from the cubicle as more nurses came in to help Dr. Hale with Danny. "Kono, stay with Danny." Steve called over his shoulder as he was led to an empty cubicle, two down from Williams.

"Here, lay her down so I can check her." Dr. Iona motioned toward the bed, a nurse following to assist.

Steve moved to lay Grace down, but her grip tightened, "No Uncle Steve…" Her breath catching, showing the pain she was in, her watery eyes looked painfully into Steve's, "Stay with Danno…" Another whimper from the small girl was nearly Steve's undoing.

"shhhh…" Steve spoke softly as he leaned over the bed with her, "It's okay sweety…Danno's doctor is looking after him, Kono's with him too. But right now your doctor needs to make sure you're okay. Can you do that for me? I promise I'm not going anywhere, I'll stay right here, but you needed to let me lay you down so the doc can look at you." Steve moved one of his hands once he had Grace on the bed, he reached up and untangled her fist from his shirt, but didn't remove her tiny hand from his hand as she held onto his with vice-like strength. "I'm right her Grace, you squeeze as hard as you need if it helps." Steve felt her hand tighten as he placed his free hand on her forehead, he could feel the tremors of pain ripple through her small form.

Steve heard the doctor say something to the nurse, then glanced up as the man moved in to exam his patient. The doctor's hand moved gently over Grace's body as the man pushed on certain spots along her abdomen, the tiny girl muffled sob's telling of where the pain was the worst. "Doc, what's going on?"

Before the doctor could answer the nurse came back in the room pushing an ultrasound machine. She quickly got it set up and ready, handing the palm-size probe to Dr. Iona, who quickly started moving it around the left side of the little girl, her hand squeezing harder with each pass the doctor did. "Call the OR, tell them I'm bring up a patient with a possible spleen rupture." The doctor told the nurse as another entered to help prep Grace for transport.

"Wait!… What? What's wrong with her." Steve reached over and grabbing the doctor's arm as the man went to turn toward the newly arrived nurse.

Dr. Iona looked at Steve's hand on his arm, glanced at Grace's pain-filled face as the small girl curled toward the Commander, then he looked up into to Steve's worried face. "We have to take her up to surgery, I believe her spleen has ruptured and she's slowly bleeding internally."

"What?" Steve couldn't seem to understand, how was this happening? He'd thought Grace was okay, sore yes, but the doctor had said she was going to be okay. "You said she'd be okay."

"That's why we were monitoring her, sometimes it may take a while before something like this shows up. You have to remember she was inside a car that rolled, the force of the seat belt holding her caused severe bruising, bruising internal organs as well. Sometimes it takes time after an accident for something to present. Look, we need to get her upstairs now, you can come until we reach the OR, but you can't go beyond that point, do you understand?" Dr. Iona watched as McGarrett tried to process the information he was just given.

Then he watched Steve pale slightly, "Is this my fault? Moving her to see her father, did I cause this?" Steve had been so focused on making sure Grace got to see her father that he never dreamed it could be physically detrimental to his partner's daughter.

"This may have happened anyway, as I said, with the severe bruising, the internal organs were stressed too." Dr. Iona stopped as an orderly came in, there was no way of knowing if moving the little girl had caused it, or if it was something that was going to happen anyway. But seeing the look on the little girl's face when she finally got to see her father told the doctor that he probably wouldn't have changed his decision to allow her to be brought down here. That is why he'd come, he wanted to make sure if something showed itself he would be there to help her.

Steve looked down at Grace, her death grip still on his hand, "It's okay Grace, the doc's gonna fix you up and you can be back with Danno before you know it. I'll be with you until we get upstairs, then I'll be waiting for you, okay?"

"Uncle Steve…" Grace mumbled.

Steve leaning closer so he could hear her, "Yeah, sweety?"

He felt tears slip from his own eye's at the pain he saw in hers, her own tears leaving a salty train down her cheeks. "Tell Danno…love him…" Pain caused her to gasp again as the nurse was finally pushing something into the IV they'd managed to get going without Steve realizing. "Want…Danno…" Her tiny voice trailed off as her eye's slipped shut, the vice-like grip on his hand loosening.

Panicked, Steve looked up as the wheels were released and the bed started to move, "Something for the pain." the nurse responded as they quickly left the unit, on the way toward the elevators Steve caught a glimpse of Chin, who'd stayed near the nurse's station once he'd help get Grace and Steve to the empty cubicle. The older man nodded, silently telling Steve that he'd heard what was happening and would be upstairs shortly, he needed to fill Kono in, since she was still in with Danny.

As the elevator door closed Steve looked down at the now still form of Grace, he prayed that just as things were starting to look better that their world wasn't on the verge of falling apart.


	11. Chapter 11

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 11  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Here's the next promised chapter, hope you enjoy. Thanks again!-Montez_

The vice-like grip that had helped pull him back for the abyss released its hold as Danny fell back onto solid ground, his breath panting heavily as his adrenaline waned. Looking up he saw Grace standing over him, the sun hidden behind her head, giving the effect of a halo surrounding her. "Grace?"

Danny stared as his little girl's face lit up. "Danno!" she smiled as she lunged for him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Oh God Grace…" Danny whispered into her hair feeling her arms around him as he wrapped his around her in a tight hug.

As Danny made his way to his knees, he felt his daughter pull back and when he looked into her big, brown eyes, he saw happiness looking at him, but then the little girl pulled back out of her father's reach, in that instant Danny saw pain flash in her face. "Grace?" He moved toward her, only to have her step back, "Grace, what's wrong?"

He watched as she wrapped her arm around her stomach, tears filling her eyes. "Love you Danno." Grace whispered as she turned and started running away from her father.

"What? Wait! Grace!" Danny got to his feet and started running after his daughter, "Grace!" He yelled as it seemed the harder he ran the further she got from him. "Grace…stop!" Danny felt himself stumble backwards as a blinding white light flashed between him and his daughter, hiding her from his sight "GRACE!" He yelled as a heaviness descended on his chest, robbing him of air.

Before the light totally engulfed him his daughter's voice whispered in his ear, "Love you Danno."

50505050505050

It was thirty minutes before Chin and Kono made it upstairs to the surgical wing. They found Steve pacing the small waiting room. "What happened?" Kono asked, Chin had filled her in on what he had heard from his place in the hallway, but she wanted to know from Steve.

"Dr. Iona said something about her spleen having possibly ruptured, causing internal bleeding." McGarrett said as he paused in his movement. Running his hands through his hair, he sat heavily, "This is my fault, she shouldn't have been moved so much, I shouldn't have insisted…"

Chin sat down, grabbing Steve's arm, giving it a good shake. "Don't…I did hear that part of what the doctor said. We don't know, it could have happened anyway. You did what you thought Grace needed, to see her father…the doctor agreed to let her go, so don't you dare take the blame for this, none of us could have known this would happen."

Steve glanced at the older man before he leaned back in the chair, pinching his eyes. "How's Danny?"

Kono sat across from McGarrett. "Dr. Hale's taken him for another scan, but his EEG readings were improving and believe it or not he was actually showing some signs of waking up. The doctor said he'd come up as soon as he saw the scans." The young woman watched her friend across from her, could see the effect everything that was happening was having on him, hell it was doing a number on all of them. She reached over and took a hold of Steve's hand, causing him to look at her. "Dr. Hale said it may have been Grace's presence that brought Danny back. He said he'd never seen someone go from the deep coma Danny was in to nearly waking up in such a short space of time. Grace being in there with her dad may have saved his life."

Steve leaned forward, his hands going to his head, "Yeah, but at what cost? What about now? What are we suppose to do when Danny wakes up and she's not there?"

"We have to believe she'll be okay, just like we wouldn't give up on Danny, we can't give up on Grace." Chin answered softly, silence settling over the waiting room.

Another hour and a half passed before Dr. Hale entered the room with news about Danny. "The newest scans look promising." He gave a hint of a smile, the first the team had seen when he was bring news about Williams.

"So he really is waking up?" Steve asked, his emotions warring inside him. One being happy that his partner was working his way back to them, fear and worry over the man's daughter who was now in surgery with possible internal bleeding.

"It may still be a while before he is completely awake, but his progress is nothing short of miraculous. I've gone ahead and ordered the respirator to be adjusted to where it will only activate if he needs it, he actually started to fight against it during the scan. If all goes well we may be able to remove it in a few hours." Dr. Hale concluded.

The three members of the Five-0 team took in the info, then Steve's voice broke the quiet, "Kono, you go down and stay with Danny, if he wakes up soon I don't want him waking up alone. I'll stay up here with Grace and I'll send Chin down just as soon as we know something." Steve stood up, moving toward the window seeing the bright blue sky that seemed to mock what he was feeling inside. He then turned and looked at Danny's doctor. "I've got a question. I know it would be a little unorthodox and I don't even know if you can do it, but if everything goes okay with Grace would it be possible if it could be arranged for both Danny and Grace to be in the same room? Once we know they both are gonna be okay?" Steve honestly didn't believe they would allow that, but he needed to ask. In his heart he believed that Danny and Grace needed to be near each other.

Dr. Hale stepped up to Steve, placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Once we know they both are doing okay, I'll talk with Grace's doctor and see what we can arrange. I honestly believe her presence with her father is what pulled him back. We'll do our best to figure something out." Steve nodded as the doctor squeezed his shoulder then headed back downstairs to his patient, Kono leaving with him.

"I'll get us some coffee." Chin said as he watched Steve turn back toward the window, waiting for word on Grace.

It was another hour before Dr. Iona entered the waiting room, Steve was still staring out the window, Chin had taken a seat, his cup of coffee nearly gone, Steve's remained on the end table, cold and untouched. "Commander," the doctor said as he walked into the room, surprised neither man had noticed him.

Steve jumped slightly, then in three strides crossed the room, "How is she?"

The doctor gave him a slight smile, "It wasn't as bad as we thought…" Dr. Iona could visibly see the relief wash over McGarrett as Chin laid a hand on the young man's shoulder. "There was a small tear in her spleen that was causing a slow bleed. We were able to repair it and didn't have to remove the organ. She's still sedated from the surgery, but is showing signs of coming out of the anesthetic without any problems, she's gonna be confused when she wakes up, but baring any other problems she should be just fine."

McGarrett looked from the doctor to Chin, who had a big smile on his face, telling Steve he had heard correctly, Grace was going to be okay. Looking at his teammate he noticed the older man's face change slightly, a concerned look taking the place of the happy one, "Steve?"

Steve saw Chin's mouth move, could tell he was calling his name, but he suddenly felt lightheaded, the only sound in his ears was the rush of his own blood, his vision graying along the edges. Steve felt hands grab his arms and move him back into a chair as his breathing started coming out in short, labored breaths. He felt himself being pushed down, his head near his knees, feeling a strong hand on his shoulder. Desperately he was trying to pull in air as his vision tunneled again. After what seemed like forever, but was only about a minute Steve could hear Chin's calm voice. "Slow, deep breaths man, in…out…in…out." A part of Steve's mind thought it was funny that someone had to tell him how to breathe, but at the same time he found he was actually breathing in rhythm with Chin's speech.

It was another minute before he felt himself calming, his breathing starting to resemble his normal rhythm. Slowly he raised himself up, his head resting against the wall, eye's closed. "You with me brah?" Chin asked, his hand still on Steve's shoulder.

"Yeah," McGarrett breathed out, "Give me a minute." With his eye's still closed he felt someone place a cup in his hand, raising his head with more effort than he thought it would take he saw Dr. Iona kneeling in front of him.

"Take a couple small drinks, its Gatorade." The doctor watched as McGarrett slowly brought the cup up and took a small drink, the orange taste hitting his tongue as he made a face.

"God, I hate the orange." Steve mumbled, Chin chuckled at the sound, it reminding him a small kid who didn't like what he was given.

Dr. Iona laughed slightly as well, "I'm sure it ranks up there with green Jell-O, but it will help. I'd be willing to bet you haven't slept much in the last twenty-four hours or ate much. I know you're worried about your friends, but you won't do them any good if you run yourself down. You need to try and rest, or at least get some decent food in you."

Steve was feeling a little better as he sat up more, "Can I see Grace?"

Dr. Iona looked at Chin with a 'I can't believe this guy.' expression, Chin just shrugged his shoulders. "If I let you see her, you have to promise you'll get something to eat after. We are going to keep her in recovery for a little while, then move her back into the PICU at which time I'll let you come back for a little longer. But you need to remember, since she can't be with her father, she's relying on you to be there for her, so you need to take care of yourself so you can be there for her, do you understand?"

Steve nodded slowly as he finished off the awful tasting drink, "I'll get something to eat after I see her, I just need to make sure."

"I know." Dr. Iona responded as he stood. Chin standing also as Steve rose slowly. Standing a second to make sure he wouldn't feel dizzy again, he nodded at Chin that he was okay, then the two men followed the doctor back to see Grace.


	12. Chapter 12

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 12  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Okay, I told you guys I get excited once I finish a story and can't wait to post it, so this is why you are getting a bonus, bonus chapter today. Tomorrow I hope to post the final two chapters. As I mentioned countless times, you guys have been awesome with your support and encouragemnt. So with my heartfelt gratitude I give you another chapter, enjoy-Montez_

"How are you feeling?" Chin glanced over at Steve as they made their way through the corridors leading toward Danny's room; they had just left the cafeteria where Chin had made sure Steve ate something. It had been an hour since they'd gotten to see Grace in recovery, she was still asleep and the doctor promised to call McGarrett if she started waking up, but had insisted that the commander get something to eat before he would be allowed into the PICU to sit with the small girl.

"I'm fine." Steve responded, "I just want to check in with Kono and see how Danny's doing, then I want to get back upstairs before Grace wakes up. I don't want her to be alone." Chin was proud of the younger man for stepping up like he had with Grace, though he'd expect nothing less, but Danny often teased Steve about his lack of knowledge when it came to dealing with kids.

As they neared the unit they saw a couple nurses rush into Danny's cubicle, the high-pitched whining of a heart monitor could be heard as they rushed forward, but the scene that greeted them was not what they were expecting. Kono was leaning over Danny's chest, trying to hold him down as the nurses moved in to help. Steve and Chin could just make out Danny's arms moving around, reaching toward the tube still down his throat as well as his attempt to pull his heart monitor leads off. Steve rushed forward, grabbing his friend's arms as they came up again, just barely missing hitting Kono upside the head. "Danny, you need to calm down…" Steve shouted over the chaos as Dr. Hale rushed into the small area, "Danny look at me, look at me…" McGarrett was just inches from Danny's face as the man finally locked eyes with him. "You need to calm down man and the doc can get that tube out." Steve glanced at the doctor who nodded that that was what he was going to do.

"Detective Williams, I need you to hold still so we can get this thing out, okay?" Dr. Hale watched as Danny's eyes stayed locked on McGarrett's but nodded in understanding. "On three I need you to try and cough for me, one…two…three…"

It was more of a gag but it worked and the ventilator tube was swiftly removed. Danny's frantic movements slowed as Steve motioned for Kono and the nurses to back up some, Steve still had a hold of Danny's arms, "You with me?" McGarrett asked his friend.

Danny's eyes blinked several times, tears filling them as his breathing started to even out, "Gr..c..?" Williams' broken voice whispered.

Steve glanced toward Dr. Hale, but soon noticed Danny's breathing becoming erratic the longer it took him to answer, "St…v…pl…s…"

Steve leaned over his friend, putting his hand on his partner's head, the other gripping his wrist. "She's alive Danny…Grace is alive…do you understand? She's upstairs recovering, but her doc says she'll be okay." Steve would wait until later to go into more detail of what was wrong with his friend's daughter, but right now it was more important that Williams understood his daughter was alive.

Danny's eyes pinched shut as tears leaked from the side, a quiet, shaking sob escaping as he tried to take a deep breath, but stopped when his chest hitched. "Take it easy, slow breaths, you busted a couple ribs and are pretty banged up." Steve said softly, his hand gently squeezing Danny's wrist in an attempt to ground him.

It was a watery gaze the met McGarrett's when his partner opened his eye's again, clearly fighting against the sleep his body was craving. "pr…ms…Gr…c…s…ok?"

Steve was shaken by the painful pleading he saw reflecting in Danny's face. Running his hand over his friends head again, Steve nodded, "I promise she's okay, I just saw her. I'm getting ready to head back up to her, but I need you to calm down and rest. Grace needs you buddy, so you need to rest and start getting better for her, okay?"

Steve watched relief wash across Danny's features. Williams' hand came up and grabbed Steve's wrist that had a hold of his, his eye's barely opening, "T…ll…h…r…Dan…o…l…vs…h…r" Danny's broken voice forced out just as sleep claimed him again.

McGarrett felt the moment his partner gave into sleep, the tension left his body and the grip on his own wrist loosened. Straightening up Steve ran his hand over his face as he looked at the doctor, who was taking Danny's vitals; he then looked at Chin and Kono, both relief and worry showing on their faces. Taking a deep breath to center himself he reached over and squeezed Danny's arm one more time, "She knows Danno, she knows."

Once Williams succumbed to sleep Dr. Hale asked the rest of the team to step out into the hall so he could examine Danny further, checking to make sure his violent awakening didn't do any damage to his healing body. McGarrett was leaning against the nurse's station, Chin and Kono standing next to him when Dr. Hale came out. "Is he okay?" Steve asked.

The doctor nodded, "Surprisingly so, all his vitals are within normal ranges now, which is nothing short of a miracle. Right now sleep is the best thing for him, the effects of the concussion are going to take a while to pass, but other than that he seems to be healing as well as to be expected."

"So with what happened in there, he didn't hurt himself? With the way he was fighting?" Chin asked. He would have never dreamt Danny could have gone from comatose and on deaths door just a few hours ago to almost combative when he woke up.

"He scratched his throat up some, it's going to bother him a few days, but it could have been worse if he'd been able to grab a hold of the tube and pulled it out on his own." Looking at Kono Dr. Hale smiled, "It's a good thing you were in there and reacted. The nurse's may not have gotten to him in time."

Kono gave a small smile as she glanced at Chin; still not sure she'd done the right thing. Chin pulled her into a quick hug, seeing how the ordeal had shaken the rookie. Steve reached over and squeezed Kono's shoulder, "That's why I wanted someone with him, you did great Kono." Steve said softly. She nodded in acceptance.

"I'm going to keep him here a few more hours, just as a precaution then we'll see about moving him to a private room." Dr. Hale commented, bring the groups attention back to him.

"Have you talked with Dr. Iona, about maybe getting Danny and Grace into the same room, once she's cleared." Steve asked. He needed to get them together, hopefully before Danny awoke again or he was afraid his friend would try his damnedest to try and find his daughter.

Dr. Hale smiled again, "As you said, it's highly unusually and normally we wouldn't consider it, but seeing how his daughter being near him affected Det. Williams, we've discussed it and once Grace is stable enough we'll move her into a room with her father and I'll take over her care. Understand it will be a few hours, she's gonna be monitored closely for several hours and Det. Williams will probably sleep for several hours himself."

Steve nodded, feeling a sense of relief that both Williams' will be in the same room soon. "I'm going to head back up; I don't want her to wake up alone. Chin make sure Kono gets something to eat then you guys hang down here with Danny and let me know when he's moved."

With affirmatives all around Steve glanced back in at the sleeping form of his friend, then turned and headed toward the elevators, back to Grace.

Another eight hours passed before Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett allowed himself a chance to rest. Once returning to Grace in the PICU he sat next to her bed and again comforted her as she started to come awake from the anesthetic, soothing her when she again called out for her father as her tiny hand gripped onto his with more force than he thought possible in her weakened state. Dr. Iona had assured him that she was healing nicely and that they didn't expect any other problems. So after several hours in the unit and once it was shown Grace was finally resting in a healing sleep, it was arranged for her to be moved downstairs to share a room with her father.

Rachel had finally shown up and after everything was explained to her she agreed to the move as well. She knew the bond her ex-husband and daughter shared. It was something she'd actually found herself a bit jealous of, especially after the divorce and move to Hawaii. Rachel had never actually believed Danny would walk away from his life in New Jersey, just to be with his daughter. And though early on she'd threatened him with custody issues, she'd grown to see just how much Grace being with her father, having him with her in this new and strange place, had helped the little girl adjust to the divorce and move.

When she first arrived and saw her daughter in the hospital bed, she lost it, a part of her wanted to rant against Danny for what had happened. It was only after Steve had finally gotten her calmed down and explained what had transpired in the time before help had reached Danny and Grace that Rachel realized that she owed Grace's life to Danny.

It all came home to her when she'd learned the full extend of her ex-husband's injuries and just how close they had come to losing him. That he had gotten Grace out of the car and was trying to get her to help with the life threatening injuries he'd had. Her heart broke when she finally saw Danny's battered body and once again with Steve and Dr. Hale explaining to her just how close Danny had come to dying and how Grace's presence by him is what they believed brought him back, she knew there was no way she could interfere with the plans the doctor's and Danny's friends had come up with to have them both in the same room. She knew in her heart it would help them both.

So the hours passed once both Danny and Grace were finally together, both sleeping peacefully as their bodies healed. Rachel had taken up residence next to Grace's bed. Steve hated to admit how difficult it was to step aside and allow Grace's mother to take the place he'd occupied until her arrival. So now Steve sat next to Danny's bed, casting glances across the room toward Grace whenever she'd stir, watching as Rachel's calming words soothed the little girl.

Chin and Kono had made a run home, to clean-up and eat, on Steve's insisting, then ordering. Chin promising to run by McGarrett's place and get him a change of cloths, knowing Steve wouldn't leave the hospital until both Danny and Grace were more awake and out of danger. Steve had finally allowed himself a chance to doze, when a quiet noise woke him. The room was dark; Rachel had her head laid on the bed next to Grace, the little girl still sleeping. Stretching a little Steve sat up straighter, his eyes glancing toward his partner; it was a pale-blue gaze that met his.


	13. Chapter 13

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 13  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Okay, here's the next to the last chapter. I'm like someone waiting for a friend to open a present I spent so much time picking out, keeping my fingers crossed they'd like it. I really hope you all like it. Thanks again so, so much-Montez_

Steve rose from his chair, reaching over he placed his hand on his partners wrist, "Hey man, you with me this time?" McGarrett's words were quiet as he watched Danny blink a few times, seeming to clear his visions.

"Yea…" Danny's voice was raspy, he cringed as his sore throat made itself know.

"Here, take it easy." Steve picked up the cup from the table, spooning out a few ice chips for his friend. He watched as Danny closed his eye's allowing the coolness to soothe his burning throat. "Better?"

A slight nod was Danny's only response as he opened his eye's again, looking intently at Steve. "How's Grace?" Williams whispered.

Steve moved slightly, motioning toward the second bed in the room Danny hadn't seen. "See for yourself."

Danny's eyes traveled the few feet, landing on the sleeping form of his daughter, her face turned toward him. Tears again pooling in the injured man's eyes as a quiet sob escaped, "Oh God, Grace."

Steve squeezed Danny's wrist gently when he seemed to be getting upset, "Hey, she's doing good, her doctor said she's healing just fine. You did good Danny, you got her out of that car. When we found you you were trying to make it back up to the main road. Do you remember what happened?"

Danny's eyes never left his daughter as he spoke, his voice never above a whisper. "Car on our side…I…I didn't have anywhere to go…" Williams brought his free hand up to his face, covering his eyes as the sounds and images of the accident assaulted his brain, "She was so scared…then…God then she wouldn't wake up…" Danny's breath hitched as more tears fell.

"Do you remember calling me?" Steve asked.

"I think so…I remember the fire." Danny looked at Steve, "All I could think was I needed to get her out and she wouldn't wake up." again Danny cringed his throat flaring and again more ice chips made their way into his mouth. "I thought she was gone…" Williams stared at his daughters sleeping form, "when you looked at me, I thought…"

"I know, it took me a little longer to find her pulse and I kept trying to tell you…Danny we almost lost you." Steve's own voice was becoming thick as he recalled the last couple days. "I kept trying to make sure you knew she was alive, so you'd fight, but for a while…"

Silence settled between the two partners, Steve finally relieved that his friend was awake and getting better, Danny just taking in the sight of his little girl sleeping. "I need to touch her." Danny whispered, "help me up." Danny actually made an attempt to push himself up, but his body had other ideas.

"Whoa, easy. You can't move around much yet, you had surgery plus you've got a skull fracture. You need to wait until the doctor gives you the all clear before you get up." Steve tried to stop Danny's feeble attempt at moving.

"Steve, please, I need to touch her…I need to know for sure." Danny begged.

It was Rachel's voice that drew both men's attention to her. "Maybe we can move the beds. Commander, do you think we could try and move the beds closer?" Danny hadn't even notice Rachel on the other side of the room until she walked closer, "How are you feeling Daniel?" she asked in a calming voice, her hand brushing through his hair as Steve stepped back allowing her closer to Danny.

"I just need to see her up close." Danny responded.

Steve had started to see how far Danny's bed could be moved with the machines he was still hooked to, the oxygen canal from the wall was his biggest concern since the heart monitor, pulse ox meter and IV were all on wheels. He noticed the bed could be moved a few feet and still allow Danny room to move with the breathing line attached. So with Rachel's help they moved the bed over about five feet. Relocking the wheels, Steve and Rachel proceeded to maneuver Grace's bed and managed to get the beds right next to one another. "Hold up a second." Steve spoke up just before the two beds touched. He reached up, hitting the release that would lower the right side of Danny's bed and the left of Grace's. They then closed the couple foot gap bring the beds together.

Once the beds touched, Danny, with Steve's help, shifted a little so he was closer. He then reached out his hand and found that of his daughter's. "Grace…" He whispered. More tears joined the trails of the earlier ones as he felt the warmth that his little girls hand held, the warmth that she was indeed alive. He then reached up and laid his hand on her small chest, feeling the thump of her heartbeat, watching the rise and fall of his hand as she breathed. Bringing his other hand up he covered his face as more than tears came forth. Danny Williams finally let go and cried, a full, soul-wrenching cry and he didn't give a damn who was in the room with him. He had believed back on that road that he'd lost his daughter, that she had left him and took his only reason for living, but now feeling her strong heart beating, feeling her steady breathing of sleep, Danny let all that fear and pain go, to be replaced with the miracle that was his daughter.

Both Steve and Rachel had backed away once the beds were together and Danny had reached out to his daughter. They both watched as the injured man took in the sight he'd been so afraid of losing. Steve felt his own chest tighten as he heard his friend give into emotions so strong that Danny had been willing to die than to live without Grace. He'd never seen anything like it before and wasn't sure what he should do, if anything.

It was then he heard the quiet sob from Rachel standing beside him. In the few years they had been married Rachel had never seen Danny breakdown like this. She knew he loved Grace, he'd been so happy when they'd become pregnant, he was the perfect doting father. Rachel never doubted Danny's love for Grace and when he'd shown up in Hawaii two weeks after her and Rachel had left with Stan, Rachel realized there wasn't anything Danny wouldn't do for his daughter. Rachel had been terrified when word finally reached her of the accident, not knowing how bad Grace was hurt, but she'd known all along that Grace was alive. Now, watching the complete breakdown happening in front of her, she realized that at some point Danny had truly believed that Grace had been lost to him and that tore at her heart.

Steve wasn't sure what to do, but did what he thought his partner would want him to, so he reached over an put his arm around Rachel's shoulder, offering what little comfort he could. After all this was Grace's mother and just like him, she'd been scared to death of losing someone she cared about. He finally felt the woman relax against his side as she accepted the offered support. It was then a tiny, tired voice pulled their attention back to the scene before them.

"Danno?" Grace's small voice was the sweetest sound Danny Williams had ever heard.

A muffled sob accompanied the bright smile that overtook his face, "Hey, Monkey…" He said softly, his hand moving back to take hers.

"Missed you Danno." She tried to smile as she saw her daddy's face clearly.

"I missed you too baby…I thought…I thought I lost you." Danny said quietly his eye's taking in the vision of is awake daughter.

"Me too." She replied with all the seriousness of someone who completely understood what had happened around her.

"I'm not going anywhere Monkey." Danny smiled as Grace's eyes blinked heavily, she was clearly fighting sleep.

"Promise?" Grace tightened her hand around his.

"I promise, you sleep now okay?" Danny squeezed her hand back.

Grace's brown eyes started to drift shut, her tiny hand holding fast to her father's larger one, her small voice whispering, "I got you Danno and I won't let go…Love you Danno."

"I love you too Monkey and I won't let go." He replied as Grace's eyes blinked one last time, a smile playing on her face as sleep claimed her again. "I won't let go." Danny repeated softly as he allowed the comforting sound of his daughter's breathing lull him back to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

Danny and Grace  
Chapter 14  
Disclaimer: See chapter one

_A/N: Well here we are, our journey's end. Again I can't express the appreciation I have for all you guys who have followed my story, alerted it, favorited it and reviewed it. I worried when I started writing this because I hadn't watched the show and had only started catching the few episodes I could online-thank God for summer reruns so I've managed to see a few more. Of course Steve came off as my impulse favorite, but the more I watch Danny and then his interaction with Grace, he's actually pulled slightly ahead of Steve in my favorite's department. That being said, I hope i've gotten the characterizations down and may try my had at another story in the future and that is solely because of the support and encouragement from you guys. So here is the final chapter of Danny and Grace, I hope it meets your expectations, I felt it brought things full-circle. Enjoy-Montez_

Epilogue: Three-weeks later

Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett stood just inside one of the interrogation rooms at HPD headquarters. He'd been standing there for about ten minutes, staring silently at the twenty-something kid across the table. He hadn't said a word since he'd entered and was silently thrilled with his ability to make the kid squirm.

It was Dylan Evans third DUI offense, the two other times he'd gotten off lightly, suspended sentence, revoked license, which he never really paid attention too, hey you only got in trouble if you were caught right. He'd even done some community service, but other than that, he'd always walked away, hell he'd never hurt anybody.

But the third time was different, when he woke up in the hospital suffering a concussion after flipping his car he was far more worried about fixing it than actually being in trouble, after all he'd been the only one hurt. However once he got to lock up, things were different. The officers were more abrupt, almost hateful toward him. Usually he'd start joking with them, some would respond before, but not this time. Dylan had sensed something different in the air. At his arraignment the next morning he learned he'd caused another accident before he'd had his own. But not giving much thought to it he plead not-guilty, but was denied bail, that had never happened before.

For three weeks his court appointed lawyer kept telling him there were special circumstances and the judge would not even entertain another bail hearing. Three weeks was the longest he'd ever spent in jail, so when he was brought up to the small room he thought maybe his lawyer had gotten things straightened out and he would finally get out of this crap place, hell he had a life to get back to, too much partying not enough time was him motto. That was until Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett walked into the room. He only knew the man's name because the guard that had brought him up introduced the imposing man. But for ten minutes now the tall man, with dark hair and an even darker expression had remained silent and motionless.

Dylan finally sat up some as he heard the door lock being disengaged, fully expecting his lawyer Dylan Evans was surprised to see a little dark-haired girl with pig-tails walk into the room, followed by a blond man leaning heavily on a cane. "Uncle Steve." Dylan watched as the small girl launched herself at the statue of a man, who's whole face changed at the sound of the little girls voice. For just a moment the man didn't seem so scary anymore, but that changed again as he released the child who then walked over toward the table. The commander's posture and expression returned to one of darkness and danger. Evans watched the blond man nodded at the taller one, a subtle nod in return the only response before the injured man made his way to the table as well.

It was silent for a minute before Dylan was brave enough to speak, "What's this about, I thought my lawyer would be here?" He wasn't sure why the presence of a little girl and an injured guy made him feel even more threatened than the man who'd been in the room with him all this time, but it did.

Danny's finally broke the tense silence, "Your lawyers here, he's out in the hallway."

"Okay." Dylan responded as his eye's glanced at the little girl, but an almost animalistic growl was heard from the man standing near the door, so Dylan quickly looked back at the blond.

"My name's Detective Danny Williams, I'm with the Governors Task force known as Five-0, this is my daughter Grace." Danny spoke calmly as Grace smiled at the man across from her, causing Dylan to shift slightly.

"Okay, do I know you?" The young man found his voice, but only barely, he wasn't quite sure what was gone on.

Danny sat up straighter, his hands folded calmly in front of him. He smiled at his daughter before he continued. "I just wanted to meet you. I wanted to see the man who almost took my daughter from me."

The cool tone of Danny's voice actually made Dylan shiver. "What?"

"Three weeks ago up on Kahala Drive, you were driving a little black compact that you crashed at the bottom of the hill, right?" Danny leaned forward slightly, watching the younger man's reaction.

"Okay, yeah, I wreaked my car, what's that got to do with you?" Dylan had only barely paid attention when he'd appeared before the judge, leaving his lawyer to answer all the questions and tell him what to say. Yeah he knew he wrecked his car, but he'd been alone, it was a single car accident.

"I was driving the silver Camaro that you ran off the road at the top of the hill. Do you remember?" Williams watched as a flash of remembrance played over the younger man's face. "You don't have to say anything, I can see it in your face that you remember. Did you even stop or even wonder what happened?"

Dylan looked at Grace, he could barely see the healing cuts and fading bruise on her face. He then took a closer look at the blond man, his bruising a little more noticeable, but still fading. Then Dylan remembered he'd walked in using a cane. "You wrecked?"

Danny shook his head as he glanced at his hands, he couldn't believe this kid was this dense. Williams glanced over his shoulder as he could almost feel the electricity coming off his stationary partner near the door. He was surprised Steve had been able to remain silent this long. Danny couldn't help the humorless chuckle that escaped, "Did we wreck? Seriously, what do you think happened? Have you ever driven that road sober? There's a he…" Danny glanced at Grace and caught himself, "Heck of a drop-off up there, trust me it's not something you willingly want to experience. So yeah, you could say we wrecked."

Danny let the words sink in as the boy across from him actually looked terrified a moment as his eyes drifted to the little girl across from him who was watching him. He'd never thought about anyone really getting hurt before because of him, hell any time he'd been busted for DUI he'd generally just make a fool out of himself and walk away. The concussion from this last time was his only injury, but looking at the little girl across from him, it was like a piece of lead had settled in his stomach. "Was she?" Dylan was surprised his voice sounded so small.

"Yes, she was in the car with me when we went over that drop. Tell me, do you know what it's like to listen to the person you care the most about in this whole world, cry out for you in terror and you can't do anything about it?" Danny's voice betrayed his face as it broke slightly, the memories of that day still haunted his nightmares and he knew they would for many years to come. "Do you know what it's like to think you had lost the only person in your life that makes it worth living? That's what you did to me, to her." Danny motioned toward Grace.

Reaching in his shirt pocket, Danny pulled out a picture and laid it on the table between them, "This is what is left of my car, the car she was riding in."

Dylan picked up the picture, the burned-out, mangled shell was the only thing left and if you didn't know it had once been a car you'd never been able to tell. Danny took a hint of pleasure seeing the kid across from him pale as he looked at the damaged vehicle. "You know I read your arrest file, slaps on the wrist before, you'd been lucky. But you know what, I think your lucks run out, because I want you to get use to seeing us, all three of us." Danny motioned behind him to include Steve. "oh and I have a few more people who's faces are gonna become very familiar as well. We will be in court anytime you go, we'll be there through the trial. I want you to remember what you almost took away from me, from my friends, from my family." Danny leaned back in his chair as he took a deep breath, it hitching slightly from his still healing ribs. "I don't know if it's going to make a difference to you or not, but I'm going to go out on a limb here as say this is the first time you've really had to deal with the consequences of what you do. I want you to have the names of the people that your recklessness and total disregard for others nearly took away. I want you to put a face with those names and remember that anytime you ever think of doing something like that again."

Danny pushed his chair back as it appeared the kid across from him was actually shaken by this encounter. Standing Williams pickup his cane and leaned on it, "But there is another reason we are here. You see when you have kids you will do just about anything they ask, even if goes against your very nature. You see I'm not a very forgiving person. I've seen too much to believe people can really change, but because of my daughter I have to hold out hope. So she's the other reason I'm here today. She came up to me a few days ago and wanted me to explain to her what happened and when I did she looked at me and told me we needed to forgive you, because she believed you really weren't a bad person, that you just did something really dumb. So for the sake of my daughter and going against ever fiber of my being, I am willing to stand here and say I forgive you."

Dylan actually felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched the man before him. Evans had listened, had watched the little girl across from him as she watched her father talk. And over the course of the past few minutes he realized what he caused, then glancing down at the picture that still lay on the table he suddenly realized what could have happened. The brown-haired, brown-eyed little girl watching him now might not be here right now because of him. He honestly didn't know what to say, didn't know if there was actually anything he could say. The scrapping of the chair across from him brought his attention back to the little girl as she stood, pulling something from her little backpack she was carrying, she rounded the table to stand next to him. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the dark-haired man tense as the small child grew closer.

"I made this for you." Grace said as she handed Dylan a folded piece of paper.

His shackled hands reached up and took it from her, opening it up. It was a picture of the beach, watery-waves of blue, bright green for the palm trees, a light brown for the sand. But it was the picture of a little girl standing next to a sand castle that drew his attention, she was smiling, her small hand waving and across the top of the paper in eight-year old script were the words, 'I forgive you'. In the bottom right hand corner was the name 'Grace Williams' neatly printed. Dylan actually felt tears fill his eyes, never had his actions had such grave consequences and the reality was almost too much for him to bare. "Why?" he looked into the big brown eyes watching him.

"Because everybody messes up and Danno says we got to learn from our mistakes." Grace then leaned in and kissed Dylan on the cheek before making her way back across the room, retrieving her backpack and racing into Steve's arms as they followed Danny out of the room, leaving Dylan Evans to absorb the words of an eight year old little girl.

505050505050

"How much longer?" The slightly whinny voice of Grace Williams echoed through Steve's Silverado as he glanced over at Danny.

"Hey don't look at me, you told her it wouldn't take long and her understanding of not long and yours are two totally different things" Danny chuckled as he watched the scenery go by. Yesterday had been draining on him, facing the man that had nearly taken his daughter from him took more out of him than Danny realized. But he'd done it for Grace, she'd asked her daddy to forgive him and only for her could he do something like that. He would forgive, but he would never, ever forget.

Steve's voice brought his attention back to the matters at hand, "Not to much longer, Chin and Kono should have our picnic set up by the time we get there." McGarrett glanced at the little girl strapped into the backseat of his truck, extremely grateful that both her and his partner were still with them.

"You know you didn't have to do this, I was planning on doing this once I'm cleared to drive again and get another car." Danny commented. He'd hated that because of the hip fracture and twisted knee the doctor hadn't cleared him to drive. He'd had to beg to be allowed to return to work, even if it was riding a desk. He'd been going crazy at home, well at Steve's since he'd insisted Danny stay with him so he wouldn't have to deal with the stairs at his place, especially when Grace wasn't there to keep his mind from the accident and the 'what ifs'.

"I know, but I think we all needed this. Trust me…" Steve smiled as he looked over at Danny, "Even a haole like you is gonna be impressed with this view." McGarrett had tried to keep Danny distracted as they passed the spot of the accident, but noticed when his partner went silent, his gaze focusing on the disturbed greenery where the car had left the road. "Don't go there man." Steve said softly.

Danny's voice was distant as he brought his hand to his head, "I know, but I can't help it…I can't help thinking…"

"I know, but look back there," Steve's thumb pointed over his shoulder, "Look at what you still have, not what could have happened, it didn't. You're still here, Grace is still here and you both are getting better everyday and you know you don't have to get through it alone."

Looking over his shoulder Danny saw Grace watching as the greenery started to give way to broken views of the vast Pacific Ocean. "Yea, I know and thanks for everything."

"Don't mention it." Steve started slowing as the parking lot for the look out came into view. They could make out Kono's little red car, Chin's motorcycle, but it was a small intake of breath that let Steve know that Danny saw the other vehicle parked next to Chin's bike. Steve brought the truck to a stop next to the silver car as Danny climbed out slowly, rounding the car as Steve opened the back door and helped Grace out of the Silverado.

"Danno it's your car!" Grace called out bouncing next to her father.

Danny looked at the Camaro sitting there, looking up he saw his friends, Kono, Chin, Steve, he then watched the door to the car open and Rachel step out, "Mommy!" Grace yelled as she raced to her mother, then drug the woman back toward Danny. "Danno's got a new car!"

"I know sweetheart." Rachel said as he leaned in and gave Danny a kiss on the cheek.

"How?" Danny looked at everyone, then back to the car in question.

Steve stepped up, putting his hand on his friends shoulder, "You know, your car was technically your work car, so I made a couple phone calls, managed to fill out the right forms, without your help by the way…" everyone chuckled at that. "and we were able to replace the Camaro. I hope it's alright." Steve actually seemed hesitant, it never occurring to him until now that Danny may not have wanted the same type of car.

"Alright? I…I just don't know what to say. Thanks doesn't seem enough." Danny looked at his friend, as Rachel handed him the keys. Looking at Steve Danny smirked, "Just so you know, when I'm cleared to drive ain't no way in hell I'm giving you the keys…at least for a while."

Steve laughed, "That's fine with me partner, just remember I know where you put your keys."

"Lunch is set up, I'm starving." Kono said as everyone made their way up the slight hill that lead to the picnic area.

Cresting the small incline everyone looked toward Grace as she let out a low gasp. "Wow…" She whispered, "Uncle Steve it really does go on forever doesn't it?" The little girl's eyes were wide open, she'd seen the water from beach level and knew it went out really far, but this just seemed different, it seemed so much bigger from the lookout.

"I told you it did, so what do you think?" Steve knelt beside the little girl.

"It's beautiful. Danno isn't it beautiful?" Grace reached up and took her father's hand as she pulled him closer to the railing the protected visitors from the drop-off.

Reaching down, despite his sore ribs he picked his daughter up, holding her close as they gazed out at the vastness that was the Pacific. He then looked at her, her brown eyes alive with wonder and excitement. He then glanced back at his friends, his family. He saw Steve McGarrett, who regardless of the rocky start to their partnership had turned out to be one of the best friends he'd ever had. Chin had filled him in on how Steve made sure anyone who came around Danny while he was in that coma told him that Grace was okay, so he'd fight to come back to them. The older man also told Danny of how Steve refused to leave Grace's side until her mother arrived, how McGarrett had comforted his daughter when he hadn't been able to. He was forever grateful to the man.

He looked at Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua, the two cousins hadn't left the hospital until they knew both Danny and Grace would be okay. They had been there to support his daughter and in Kono's case, to keep Danny himself from harming himself when he woke up the first time, fighting the breathing tube that had been down his throat. Danny knew he was very lucky to also have those two people in his life.

Then he looked at Rachel. Yes they were divorced, but a part of him still loved her, after all she had given him the most wonderful thing in the world, his daughter. Things had been rough in the beginning, right after the divorce, but as time went by and he accepted it was more the job than him that had driven her away, they had found a good balance in their unconventionally relationship to where times like these, a picnic with friends, didn't seem awkward.

Finally Danny's gaze came back to his daughter, the little girl that had captured his heart eight years ago and never let go. The little girl that he'd moved thousands of miles just to be close to and never really looked back. His life was here now, with his daughter, with his new friends, his new family, here in this pineapple-infested hell-hole that was slowly growing on him, not that he'd ever admit it. To Danny this is what was beautiful and with more honesty than he'd ever answered a question before, Danny pulled his daughter close to him in a hug as he replied, "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."


End file.
